Very interesting document - found myself nodding with enthusiasm. All the issues that irk me, and others I have spoken with, are covered.

Re: the feeling of being a troublemaker - I'm afraid that's one I've now grown accustomed to and unfortunately in some case has gone before me. All I have ever fought for is the right to work in a fair and safe environment with a suitable and consistent level of pay. Because of this many of the younger people I work with think I'm some sort of commie. The working conditions and unrealistic production schedules are often accepted with glee - and perhaps why not when most of our colleagues are out of work.

Collective action is the best way forward I hope this is a success and I hope we can all meet soon.

Producer/director, eight years experience

I read about your idea of a union for freelancers, and you said you wanted to hear from people who think they have had a raw deal from employers. Without wanting to whinge, I have had experiences with lousy contracts where you are required to sign disclaimers that the EU regulation relating to working hours does not apply; if you don't sign the clause you get no contract, simple as that.

Another employer, a well known doc company, had problems paying me on time and when I inquired about my late payment I was told that it was my own fault for going freelance and that I should expect it.

Another employer gets around holiday pay by deducting credits from my pay until the end of my contract, I only actually receive the holiday pay if I don't have any time off, so it's a bit of a cheat! This seems to be normal behaviour from production companies and I would be interested if anybody thinks there is anything we can do about it. I am an AP and think it is really hard to move into a new contract without accepting that this is just part of our industry.

However, I am worried about anonymity and would not like to go public with these statements, so please do not include my details on your website!

Researcher/AP, eight years experience

I am keen to join whichever union caters best for TV freelancers - NUJ or BECTU. I'm a freelance producer director with the usual grievances of kept back "holiday pay" and no consistency of rate regardless of my experience.

As a suggestion, I know that a large number of disillusioned documentary film editors are currently thinking of what action to take in the industry based on the unfairness of being paid the same rates now that they were on ten years ago.

Let me know what the next step will be.

Producer/director

Well done for getting this thing happening. I am a freelance documentary AP and I guess my main gripe is companies not paying me on time. Practically every place I have worked has been slow about paying me and I have usually had to chase them up with several calls after the end of my contract in order to get my outstanding invoices paid.

Holiday pay is also a major issue. I have never been paid holiday pay and feel it is very difficult to broach it. The one company I did mention it to told me in no uncertain terms it was included in my rate and if I wanted holiday pay I would have to accept a lower weekly rate. So I didn't ask about it again! I think if freelancers could act together to force independent producers into guaranteeing holiday pay on a contract, however long, this would be a major achievement. Perhaps it would be an idea to lobby broadcasters directly and try and get holiday pay written into broadcaster's contracts with indies?

Researcher/AP with two and half year's experience

I agree with all the points that you've made, and think that they tackle the main issues that need to be addressed. Can I suggest a couple of others?

Weekends - I have noticed a disturbing trend in a couple of recent jobs which is to include weekend days into schedules as though they were weekdays. I recently did an eight week job on which I worked a total of 10 weekend shooting days and a four week job on which every Saturday was a scheduled shoot day. In keeping with this trend, contracts are issued which simply cover one period (ie March 21 - June 5). This effectively means that you are contracted to work a seven day week and therefore have no comeback when hours become excessive. Your pay is of course negotiated presuming a five day week.

I was offered a job fairly recently on a non terrestrial series - actually 2 series that they wanted me to 'double up on'. All the edit facilities were to be in Manchester, to save money despite the cost of travelling etc. (to say nothing of the inconvenience) but the exec. had a friend who had a flat that she was fairly sure we could all stay in, although someone might have had to have the sofa ...(and this was to be for several months, coming and going). I declined. I am the sort of person who hates it if my boyfriend stays over too long ... ie I like my own space and to switch off after work on MY OWN. You are right to be annoyed! But I bet this won't be the worst thing we hear ...

Producer/director, eight years experience

I agree with all the points you've made. Especially the issues of rates of pay & holiday pay. As an editor, my rate hasn't budged in over 3 years & I daren't move it myself. I would like to be able to negotiate over holiday pay from a position of strength. Thankfully I don't have any nightmare stories to relate about exploitation etc. but I know plenty of people who have & feel that now is the time to get involved with BECTU rather than when it's too late. I will be eager to hear what their views on an online chapter will be. I have signed up to the UKTV forum & expect to hearing a lot more about this soon.

Editor

Thank you very much for taking the time to put this together. I've had some thought about the points you have made. You pretty much cover the territory of most of my concerns. But I do have a few comments.

· Holiday pay and rates. The issue over holiday pay bothers me less than it might. One of the things I used to accept about being freelance was that I had no sick pay or holiday pay, so would save money whilst I was working accordingly. This is of course fine if you are being paid enough. If rates haven't risen in years (and I do believe this to be the case) the costs of being a freelancer take up a higher percentage of your wage every year. What would be interesting to find out are the salaries for staff. I would think that the BBC and other big broadcasters are required to have pay reviews etc and that staff wages have gone up in line with inflation. What we need is a better system of rate structures, so not just what rate should P/Ds get but what rate for what experience. We should try and encourage BECTU to spread its information to Indies etc.

· Unrealistic production schedules. My personal pet hate. It goes hand in hand with employing people with no experience who are completely unsuited to the job just because they're cheap. As a P/D the two combined can make your life hell! Some of the best people just refuse to put up with these working conditions and leave programmes making altogether. With these short schedules there is less time to nurture and respect your contributors, if they are lucky they might get a thank you letter, they certainly won't get a tape these days. We rely on all these people giving up their time and allowing themselves to be filmed. If we treat them poorly we may find it difficult to find people in the future.

· General bad behaviour amongst Indies. As budgets have been pushed down, Indies can no longer rely on the production fee to make money. Because of this they try and claw money back in other areas, paying everyone less than they've put in the budget, skimping on edit times, full crews are a rarity (it seems sound recordists these days are considered something of a luxury never mind camera assistants) etc etc. And freelancers have to put up with all of this because we need work. Production companies put up with the lower budgets because they need work too, and if they don't accept the commission someone else will. Because of this I think if we are lobbying BECTU we need to put pressure on not just Indies but broadcasters too. Personally I think we should concentrate on one issue first (how about the holiday pay being kept back from your rate thing) and try and push that through. If we can get BECTU members to stand up to just one thing successfully then it might galvanise them over issues.

I'd very much like to see some kind of web/forum for BECTU members which had validity within the union (ie we could actually vote on issues). If you would like me to contribute in any way just email me and let me know how. Lets keep in touch and see how things progress.

Producer/director, seven years experience

From my point of view, I'm becoming increasingly dismayed at the abuses, both personal but particularly to others, that I see perpetrated on a daily basis in the industry. I've worked in TV since 1986, and this is definitely the worst point ever.

I too have anecdotal horror stories about wages, unworkable production schedules, holiday pay issues, work experience. (For example, this week I came across someone who'd been working for nothing for a massive independent since May last year! Whenever he raised the subject of payment, he was threatened with being 'let go'!). The working-for-nothing issue has totally got out of hand. As has the budget squeezing which is undoubtedly driving so many good people away from the industry, whilst still keeping some employers in clover.

As a loyal NUJ and P Base member, I would very much be in support of a joint NUJ/BECTU/P Base initiative.

AP/researcher 16 years experience

I actually really love what I do, and I'm not yet that bitter and twisted to give up on the industry. I really enjoy getting on with my team, having a laugh, and getting to know the people I work with. I'm always the first to try and nip any potential conflicts in the bud. There are some good production companies out there, and I enjoy working with them, but there are of course the dodgy ones, and they must be exposed.

I too have experienced difficulties particularly with(broadcaster name) - I find it quite unfathomable why a broadcaster with such a supposed reputation gets away with what it does (of course because it's "(broadcaster name) " they think they can). I remember getting my first job for (broadcaster name) and then finding what a load of incompetent arse-covering (for each other only of course) morons they were. I was hired to work with someone I was told was a 'Producer' who after having exposed his incompetencies time and time again, admitted to me this was his first producing job - and he was staff!! He eventually went AWOL leaving me to try and produce the series as well (from the editing suite as I was editing all hours that god sends), and there was absolutely no apology or accountability from him or anyone. The so-called Production Manager I had one phone call from and that was it. No PMing there I'm afraid, instead she went about trying to cover the Producers' lack of experience!! If I complained to her, she ignored it!! It's time the tables were turned ehh what??
Anyway, I don't want this to turn into a moaning exercise, I just think we should definitely start sharing information - particularly rates of pay. Look forward to your response.

Producer/director, four years experience

Very good idea about bullying companies into giving us freelancers our proper rights!

The first thing my boyfriend (also an AP/DV director) and I thought about was the regional variation of pay. We just don't know what to ask for up here (North West England). It seems that companies think £550 to £600 is reasonable for an AP. I disagree, especially if you're shooting DV but they get you in a stranglehold as you know there are another 10 people willing to take the job. I'm completely happy to be frank about my rates etc. I've been working in TV since I was 21, so that makes about 7 years now, so I think I'm pretty experienced when it comes to researching/APing and I'd like that to be reflected in my rates!!

My experience at a large indie with a northern base was terrible but mainly due to the DP. However I discovered after I finished the production that the other researcher was earning £200 more pw than me. I was on £400, which for the nature of that particular production was ridiculous. The series was cutting edge /high profile (broadcaster name) and it's still mentioned in some documents now. I took the job because there wasn't any other work around, I'd been unemployed for 2 months. They didn't ask me my rate, they just said it was all they could afford, then brought on another researcher at a much higher rate. It took me 3 months to get my final pay packet from them and outstanding expenses.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU EARN AS A DV OPERATING AP?? IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONDON AND THE NORTH AND IF SO HOW MUCH IN TERMS OF RATES?? I have no idea what to quote as my rate in my next job. Any advice would be gratefully received.

PS; Forgot to say that I worked for (a Leeds based indie) for 4 months without any pay as 'work experience'. I know that they pay their researchers /APs dreadfully as well.

AP/DV director, based in Manchester, seven years experience