NI Screen: Workers furious over pay warning, union says
- Published
A union which represents workers in the television and film industry has said there is "fury" about a pay warning from NI Screen.
Northern Ireland's film and TV industry body said some local crew are asking for rising pay at rates far above inflation.
In a letter to workers, NI Screen said that some wanted paid beyond "even the direst inflationary predictions".
Broadcast union Bectu said there was "no evidence" for the claim.
NI Screen had also said that Northern Ireland could lose productions as a result of requests for rising pay.
Angela Moffatt, negotiations officer for the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu) told BBC News NI that the response to the NI Screen letter had been "overwhelming".
"People who are members of Bectu and people who are not members of Bectu are getting in touch about it," she said.
"The reaction has been one of fury, they find it very offensive.
"It flies in the face of the experience of most people in the industry."
Angela Moffatt from Bectu said many people working in Northern Ireland's film and TV industry had received little or no income when productions were halted due to the pandemic
Ms Moffatt said Bectu had "nothing to do" with the NI Screen letter.
"We have this bizarre situation where people go to the rest of the UK and then come back to do the same job in Northern Ireland and get less," she said.
"NI Screen's response is to say that cheap labour is the solution.
"Cheap labour is not how you sell and promote the Northern Ireland film and TV industry.
"We've seen no evidence whatsoever of the rises NI Screen describe.
"Promoting the idea of cheap labour in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK is treating people as second class citizens."
'No safety net'
Ms Moffatt also said that many people working in Northern Ireland's film and TV industry had received little or no income when productions were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The nature of the industry is that these people work in mainly self-employed roles and there's no safety net or security for them," she added.
"You've now got NI Screen describing the Northern Ireland industry as a 'bubble' which is quite shocking."
In a statement to BBC News NI, NI Screen said "reports of extreme rate inflation are being heard from many sources".
Northern Ireland's screen industry has been growing in recent years.
A number of high-profile TV series including Derry Girls, Line of Duty and Bloodlands have been filmed in Northern Ireland.
The recent big-screen hit The Northman - starring Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard and Ethan Hawke - was also shot on location in County Antrim and County Down.
Ethan Hawke plays King Aurvandil and Nicole Kidman is Queen Gudrun in The Northman
Meanwhile, the top American comedian Kevin Hart is starring in the Netflix production Lyft which is currently being filmed in Belfast.
Sir Kenneth Branagh's Oscar-winning film Belfast has also brought global attention to Northern Ireland.
Many productions shot locally receive some funding from NI Screen and employ local crew in a variety of roles.
Bubble could 'burst'
But a letter from NI Screen's head of production Andrew Reid, seen by BBC News NI, said some crew had been asking for spiralling rates of pay.
"While we would never tell anyone what they should charge we would ask you all to bear in mind the environment in which we are currently working," his letter said.
He said a government scheme to insure productions against coronavirus-related costs had closed which might reduce the number of productions.
He also said pay rates set by Bectu allowed for regional variation.
"If crew rates in Northern Ireland are the same as those in the South-East of England, productions will just stay in the South-East of England," the letter said.
"There is no perceived value in moving out, especially when the on-screen talent generally wants to be in or near London.
"The BBC has seen evidence that while crew rates in the South-East of England have risen by 2% some crew rates in Northern Ireland have risen by 30% in just a few months."
US comedian Kevin Hart (centre) on the set of a new Netflix film outside Belfast's Crown Bar last month
The letter also warned that the screen industry bubble in Northern Ireland could "burst".
"In the last few weeks US companies have cut budgets and even cancelled shows mid-production," it said.
"Northern Ireland is still a relative newcomer to the international production market and when production levels drop it is the newer regions that suffer first.
"We collectively need to ensure that the Northern Ireland screen industry still represents value for money."
In a statement to BBC News NI in response to a query regarding Mr Reid's letter, NI Screen said its "focus is on the long term sustainability and growth of the screen industry in Northern Ireland".
"A reminder that relative competitiveness is key to that sustainability and growth was deemed appropriate when reports of extreme rate inflation are being heard from many sources," the statement added.
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