The Producer’s Guide to Unions in the UK Film and TV Industry

Behind the scenes of the UK film and TV industry, a network of unions and industry bodies work together to protect workers' rights, negotiate fair contracts, maintain industry standards and ensure that the UK remains a sought-after location for producers across the globe.

If you’re looking to produce content in the UK, it’s essential that you familiarise yourself with the UK union model. This is particularly true for US producers, as there are significant differences between the two jurisdictions (find out more about US unions here).

UK union model

While the UK film and TV industry is unionised, the structure is less rigid than in the US, with unions representing workers across multiple media and entertainment industries rather than being segmented by specific roles.

The key UK unions are:

• The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (Bectu): With approximately 40,000 members, Bectu is one of the largest unions in the UK entertainment industry and represents a broad range of workers such as camera operators, sound engineers, costume designers and many other behind-the-scenes roles. Bectu is known for its strong advocacy on issues like fair pay, safe working conditions and access to training and development and has been involved in numerous campaigns and negotiations that have led to improved working conditions for its members, including securing industry-wide agreements on working hours and overtime pay.
• Directors UK: As the professional association and collective management organisation for UK film and TV directors, Directors UK represents the creative, economic and contractual rights of directors across all genres and formats.
• Equity: Founded in 1930, Equity represents actors, performers and other artists working in the film, TV and live performance sectors, including supporting artists. Equity has been instrumental in establishing “Equity minimums”, which set the minimum pay rates for actors and supporting artists. Equity also provides legal support and negotiates collective bargaining agreements that cover everything from working hours to health and safety on set.
• The Film Artistes’ Association (FAA): A branch of Equity that specifically represents supporting artists. Working closely with Equity, the FAA works to ensure that supporting artists receive fair pay, proper working conditions and appropriate recognition for their contributions.
• The Musician’s Union (MU): Established back in 1893, the MU has a long history of safeguarding the rights of musicians, working across all genres and sectors, including those involved in film and TV production. As well as advocating for fair pay and recognition, the MU supports members with issues relating to contracts, copyright and licensing.
• The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain: Since its establishment in 1959, the Writers’ Guild has represented professional writers working across film, TV, theatre, radio, books, comedy, poetry, animation and video games. Among other things, the guild negotiates collective agreements with producers and broadcasters, ensuring that writers receive appropriate credits and royalties for their work.

The UK also has a number of influential industry bodies which work with the unions to maintain the health and sustainability of the industry, including:

• The Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact): Founded in 1991, Pact is the trade association representing the commercial interests of independent content producers in the UK’s film, TV and digital media industries. Pact plays a pivotal role in negotiating terms of trade with broadcasters and working with unions to ensure fair contracts for producers and their teams. It negotiates collective agreements with broadcasters and unions, ensuring that production teams are adequately compensated and that working conditions meet industry norms.
• The Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB): A leading membership organisation representing the interests of production professionals in various roles including production management, location management, assistant directing and post-production. As well as providing an availability service for production professionals looking for work or to crew up, PGGB regularly consults and advises on key production issues affecting the UK and offers best-in-class training and extensive networking opportunities to support members in progressing their careers.

Union membership guidelines

Membership in US unions often requires a certain amount of work experience or meeting specific criteria. Once in, the benefits are substantial, including strong legal protections and support in case of disputes.

In addition, many US productions require union membership or at least adherence to union agreements, which can limit access to jobs for non-union members.

While UK unions still have requirements around who can join, membership is generally more open, with a focus on supporting members through various stages of their career.

In addition, "closed shop unions” – whereby employers can only hire union members – were made illegal in the UK in the early 1990s. So, whereas US unions dictate that only union members are permitted to work under a union contract – and that union members cannot work under a non-union contract – UK productions are not bound to employ union members and union agreements tend to act as guidelines for the industry as a whole, not just union members.

Collective bargaining power

US unions have significant collective bargaining power, allowing them to negotiate extensive contracts that set industry standards for wages, working conditions, residuals, health benefits and pensions. These contracts are binding for all union members and often influence non-union productions as well.

While UK unions do engage in collective bargaining, their influence is generally more collaborative. UK unions focus on standardising conditions across the industry, but they may not always have the same level of enforcement power as US unions. As mentioned above, the agreements reached tend to be more flexible, with the hope that employers “embrace and respect” the rates and guidance offered.

Key union agreements which cover pay and working practices in the UK film and TV industry are:

• The Pact/Bectu Major Motion Picture Agreement
• The Pact/Bectu TV Drama Agreement
• The Pact/Bectu Construction Agreement for Studio Film
• The Pact/Equity TV Agreement
• The Pact/Equity Supporting Artists Agreement 
• The Pact/FAA Agreement for Engaging Background Artistes, Stand-Ins and Doubles Within a 40-Mile Radius of Charing Cross

Key considerations for producers when working with UK unions

The various unions and industry bodies in the UK film and TV sector are integral to its success, ensuring that the rights of workers and producers are protected and helping to maintain a stable and fair working environment.

While the UK union model is less rigid than in the US, there are some key considerations to keep in mind when producing content in the UK:

• There are numerous UK union agreements in place which cover working conditions and pay for workers on film and TV productions. Although enforcement is less strict in the UK, these agreements are considered the industry standard and are generally respected by UK productions.
• “Closed shop” unions (i.e., where employers can only hire union members) are illegal in the UK, so productions aren’t limited in their hiring choices.
• Membership in US unions—such as the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) or the Directors Guild of America (DGA)—has nothing to do with nationality, and many UK actors and ADs meet the eligibility requirements and belong to these unions. As such, you’ll need to make sure that you’re paying these workers in line with the relevant US union agreement on your UK production.
• An experienced UK line producer can help you to ensure you’re operating in accordance with industry standards and paying fair and competitive rates across your production.

How EP can help you work with UK unions

Navigating the various union agreements that may apply to your UK productions can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. At Entertainment Partners, we have experts with decades of experience and industry leading technology to make sure your production is well-equipped to navigate requirements and compliance challenges with ease. Our practical payroll, budgeting, and finance solutions minimise manual work while helping your production stay in the unions’ good graces. Learn more about our solutions today.

This article contains general information we are providing on a subject that may be of interest to you. Nothing in this article should be considered tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult with your own advisors regarding the applicability of this information to your specific circumstances.