My last couple of jobs have been very long contracts, and I haven’t had to agree pay for over a year. Before starting my most recent job, the Line Producer offered less than I’d been earning, which I definitely didn’t want to accept, but I also didn’t want to give my previous rate as I knew that BECTU had recently released an updated rate card for editors.
While we were on the phone discussing it, the Line Producer was able to search the BECTU website and see the rate card herself. She found the rate before I did, and simply said they would pay what was on the rate card - over a hundred pounds per week better than the original offer.
It also helped establish my expected hours - they were suggesting an 11-day fortnight buyout, but the rate card allowed me to set a five day week at ’50-hours’ and argue that if we were asked to do a 6th day, that would be charged as a ’60 hour week'. They couldn’t afford more than the base rate, so therefore I was never expected to work late or weekends.
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