Joint media release from The NZ Council of Trade Unions, Equity NZ and NZ Writers Guild
The announcement today by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway, to support collective bargaining for those working in the film and screen industry, is welcomed.
“It is fantastic that the Government is adopting the model which was developed and unanimously agreed to by the Film Industry Working Group (FIWG). This Working Group has clearly demonstrated that when an industry comes together to address issues how successful that process can be,” CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.
Melissa Ansell-Bridges, Director, of Equity New Zealand, was a member of the FIWG and is confident that the changes proposed will make a real difference, “It is hugely significant that workers in the screen industry will now have access to the rights and benefits of collective bargaining. It’s a hard life being an actor in New Zealand, ensuring that actors have access to collective bargaining is simply about fairness at work.”
Alice Shearman, Executive Director of New Zealand Writers Guild, also a member of the FIWG is looking forward to the law coming into effect next year “2020 will be a good year for screenwriters in the screen industry. The ability to stabilise their economic and working rights through collective agreements will be career enhancing and stimulate industry growth. It has been a long time coming for screenwriters to benefit from enforceable terms and conditions in their contracts.”
