Equity and the BBC have agreed significant improvements to the Equity-BBC TV Agreement for performers along with increases in pay which will be implemented on 7 April 2025, after members voted to accept the new terms. The new Agreement will see a 13% increase to minimum episodic fees (aka fees based on payment per episode) and associated payments (including production day payments, overtime and fees for supplementary attendances), and a 10% increase to minimum weekly fees and all other fees in the agreement.
The BBC TV Agreement covers performers working on in-house BBC Drama, Comedy, and Children’s productions including Eastenders, Casualty, Doctor Who, and Silent Witness. It includes actors, walk-on and supporting artists, dancers, stunt performers, puppeteers and singers.
In addition to the pay increase, the new Agreement includes provisions on bullying and harassment, access, reducing environmental impact and best practice in relation to audition self-tapes. “With this agreement, the BBC makes vital commitments to our members that their experience at work will be safe and dignified”, explains Equity TV Official, Natalie Barker.
The improvements to pay, terms and conditions for performers at work in BBC TV, include:
- Increase to minimum episodic fees (and their associated payments) to bring them to industry level (i.e. mirror the rates in the PACT TV agreement) – equivalent to a 13% increase
- 10% increase to all other fees including the minimum weekly fee
- Self-tapes – acknowledgement of Equity’s Self-tape Guidelines as industry best practice
- Bullying & harassment – Equity’s Statement of Commitment provisions codified in the Agreement
- Intimacy directors – to be engaged for scenes of an intimate nature
- Environmental sustainability – commitment from Producer and Artists to reduce environmental impact of production
- Equal opportunities: Access – access riders to be negotiated before the start of engagements
- Penalties introduced for late payment of royalties by the BBC
- Introduction of provisions for the engagement of minors (age 10 to school leaving age) with rates of pay no less than half the adult rates and entitlement to secondary payments
We will seek further improvements to terms and conditions for dancers, choreographers and stunt performers and coordinators later this year.
Natalie Barker, Equity Industrial Official for TV said:
“It was important to secure a significant increase to pay in this round of negotiations to mitigate the squeeze our members have experienced on their pay over a number of years of high inflation. In addition, we have achieved improvements to the agreement which deliver real protections to our members in their workplaces.
“With this agreement, the BBC makes vital commitments to our members that their experience at work will be safe and dignified. Incorporating terms for minors for the first time, ensuring artists between 10 and school-leaving age have the benefit of union contracts and minimum rates of pay, is a significant step. And the inclusion of commitments from the BBC to prevent and address bullying and harassment and the new requirement to hire intimacy directors for scenes of an intimate nature puts the dignity and safety of working performers front and centre.”
Equity members voted by clear majority to accept the new Agreement, which will be implemented from 7 April 2025, superseding the previous Agreement.
