The Alliance welcomes news that the past year has been strong for the Australian film and television industry. Screen Australia’s National Survey of Feature Film and TV, released yesterday, reveals that the local production slate included 38 features and 653 hours of television drama with a total value of $668 million - up by $3 million on the year previous. “The total annual film and television drama slate spend of $668 million is well above the five year industry average, which is particularly good news given the fall in the foreign spend in Australia,” said Alliance Assistant Federal Secretary, Simon Whipp.

Over the past 10 months the Alliance has been meeting with screen technicians about the freelance crew agreement. As you may know the Motion Picture Production Agreement (MPPA) sets the minimum conditions for crew working as freelancers in film and TV. The MPPA is about to be renegotiated and the new agreement will set the minimum standards for the future.

More than 300 people have signed the Alliance’s Fight For Four petition since it was launched last week to show their support for our campaign to bring back theatre workers’ four hour minimum call. The Industrial Relations Commission recently reduced it to three hours. For many casual theatre workers this change, which is due to be introduced at the beginning of next year, will mean a 25 per cent pay cut! To register your support make sure you sign the petition here before it is delivered to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and Federal Government.

The Alliance has launched a national campaign to win back the four-hour minimum call for commercial theatre workers, which the IR Commission recently reduced to three hours. If you work in theatre now is the time to stand up and Fight for Four! To register your support sign the petition that will be delivered to the Australian Industrial relations Commission and Federal Government. Click here to sign the petition.

Theatre producers have convinced the IR Commission to cut the minimum call for theatre workers from four hours to three. The four hour call is a standard working condition that has been in place for more than a decade and if the producers’ change is introduced next year as planned casual theatre workers are looking at a 25 per cent pay cut. So, if you work in theatre now is the time to stand up and fight for four! We will be lobbying politicians, producers, and the IR Commission. To register your support email fight44@alliance.org.au

Recently, the producers of Don’t be Afraid of the Dark approached the Alliance seeking changes to the MPPA but because crew worked with their union they were successful in protecting daily turnaround, restricting shorter weekend turnaround, limiting night shoots and shifting the radius to 25km instead of 30km. These are significant wins given past experience with big budget offshore producers and the Alliance congratulates all crew involved in the negotiations.