This document provides advice on how to negotiate pay and working conditions. It discusses factors to consider like job responsibilities, payment terms, equipment costs, overtime rates, and holiday pay. The document recommends calculating an hourly rate that accounts for all costs, knowing industry standards, and getting agreements in writing. The overall message is for workers to understand their worth and negotiate effectively to receive fair compensation.

1. Negotiating what you are worth
Getting better rates and conditions

2. What do you need to know to negotiate?
 What does the job entail?
 What does the fee they are offering include or exclude?
 How much will it cost you to take the work?
 What is the lowest fee you are willing to work for?
 What is everyone else getting paid for the same kind of job?
 Who can you negotiate with?

3. What do you do now?
 How did you get offered the job?
 What do you ask for at the moment?
 Do you enter into any negotiating at all?
 Have you calculated how much it costs you actually to do the work?
 Do you know what others get paid for the same job?

4. What do you think you are worth?
 How do you work out your rate?
 Do you have an hourly rate/day rate/an all in price?
 Does it include travel/food/kit/holiday pay?
 If you take all things into consideration what is the hourly rate you are
left with?

5. Calculating your rate
 Example: You are offered £300 to do a 10 hour day.
You are expected to supply your own kit
Your published ratecard tells you that you price the
required kit at £70 a day
You are therefore being asked to work for
 £230.

6. Factoring in the holiday rate
Your employer is legally obliged to make provision for
you to take a holiday.
You should tell your employer that this provision can
be met with a 12.1%-of-rate payment
 12.1% of £230 = (£27.83 holiday pay).
You are, therefore, being paid £202.17 for a ten hour
day.

7. Overtime
 A ten hour day means you are working two hours
overtime.
Overtime should be paid at time-and-a-half
You can, therefore, work out your hourly rate by
dividing £202.17 by 11 (8x1 + 2x1.5)
Your rate is £18.38 an hour!

8. How can we improve your deal?
 You need to prepare before you start a negotiation
 You need to have your facts to prove your argument
 You need to listen
 Keep calm and professional
 Build up a good relationship with your employer

9. Recap what do you need to know to negotiate?
 What does the job entail?
 What does the fee they are offering include or exclude?
 How much will it cost you to take the work?
 What is the lowest fee you are willing to work for?
 What is everyone else getting paid for the same kind of job?
 Who can you negotiate with?

10. Confirm the hours that you are expected to
work
 These expected hours are they all paid?
 Do your hours comply with the Working Time Regulations?
 You want travel time and travel costs
 Do they expect you to opt out?
 You need a lunch break
 If you are asked to work over the regulations you need to be
compensated

11. 4. Know the going rate - and ask for it.
https://www.bectu.org.uk/advice-resources/rates

12. Charge for your kit - always
 Often, employers just assume that you will bring your kit
with you and provide it to them at no charge.
 How much would cost to hire seperately?
 What are the benefits of you using your kit?
 How do you negotiate this?

13. Holidays
 Are you being paid a basic rate or a rolled up rate?

 Employers usually quote “rolled up” rates.
 They should be adding 12.1% to the rate that they
pay you to cover your holiday entitlement.
Quote it separately on quotes and invoices

14. Cancellation rates
 In every industry, Freelancers expect to charge different rates
depending upon the cancellation notice period.
 If a employer expects to be able to cancel at very short notice,
they can expect to pay a higher rate or a cancellation fee.
 Ensure that employers tell you 'this is a confirmed booking' as
opposed to a 'pencilled booking'.
 Are employers working on the basis that they would take legal
action against you if you failed to fulfil a 'confirmed' booking?
 This can form part of your negotiation with employers.

15. Get paid
 Make sure that you are clear what your payment terms
are.
 If they don't pay within the agreed timescale, you will
know you have a late payment problem.
 BECTU can help you with this.
 The threat of going on the Ask First list often results in a
quick payment.

16. Haggling tips
Odd numbers are your friend.
Make your position clear: “I charge £x an hour. Overtime is
time-and-a-half, I have a separate ratecard for my kit and
you need to be clear with me if holiday pay is rolled in or
not.”
 Every April, check out what RPI figures are – increase
your hourly rate by RPI (e.g currently 2.5%)
When asked to cut rates, chose how you go down a notch
- % is often better.

17. Company status/insurance/tax
 Employers sometimes try to get you to set up a limited
company should you?
 As a sole-trader, you have some employment rights (working
time rules, health and safety protection) that are not available
to someone who is being hired as a Limited Company.
 They may also ask you to provide a Public Liability Certificate.
These often cost £100s - but BECTU members only pay £21 a
year
 BECTU produces the Freelance Tax Guide.

18. Get a good standard letter of engagement
 This is something that you send through to employers to
confirm what you have agreed with them. It should provide
them with important information, such as....
 Your contact details and (if relevant) company details, bank
details for payment, etc
 Your hours
 Your rates (with additions for holidays, kit-rental, overtime etc
where you can get these agreed)
 Your payment terms - how long after the invoice arrives do you
expect to be paid?
 Cancellation terms
 The 'intellectual property' agreement - i.e. the copyright terms
you are working to.
 You can often find a suitable draft letter of engagement on
the BECTU website.

19. ... because you’re worth it!
 All of these suggestions are dependent upon a good
negotiating relationship between yourself and the employer
concerned.
 The film and TV industry has never been busier in the UK
than it is now. In the past, when work is scarce, employers
have been able to threaten to go elsewhere to get the job
done.
 There is no substitute for building up a good reputation and
being able to communicate the value of the work that you
do.
 Once an employer has established that they want you to do
the work, the following tips may help you to nudge your pay
& conditions up to something that is more acceptable.

20. New entrants
 you need to be clear about the actual hours that you
work.
 The odd freebie here and there adds up
 It has a knock-on effect that damages most levels.
 You have to complete the job to a very high standard.
 Their business model is 'get people to work for
free.'

21. Not paying workers is illegal
Paying less than the NMW is illegal
BECTU sponsors InternAware
Tell BECTU if anyone ever asks you to work for less than the
National Minimum Wage