In 2021, the Scottish Government published an action plan reflecting its strategic approach to help achieve the 2025 vision for Fair Work.
Fair Work is: work that offers all individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect. It balances the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers.
Below are some recommendations for implementation of Fair Work practices in the Film Access Sector and links to further information and resources.
Contracts
Contractual stability should be a core employer objective. Forms of flexible working where the burden of risk falls disproportionately on workers (including most zero hours contracts) are not fair work.
- Eliminate use of zero-hours contracts
- sSupply contracts for all freelance work.
Rates of Pay
The National Partnership for Culture’s recommendations include that: Pay transparency and defensibility should be a core objective.
This can be achieved by:
- advertising salaries with jobs
- in instances where they apply, paying union rates or higher
- in instances where union rates do not apply, pay employees at least the Real Living Wage.
Effective Voice
Effective voice is much more than having a communication channel available within an organisation. It requires a safe environment where dialogue and challenge are central to the organisational culture, are dealt with constructively, and where employee views are sought out, listened to and acted upon, and can make a difference.
- Ensure and support widespread awareness and understanding of employment rights
- Adopt behaviours, practices and a culture that support effective voice and embed this across the sector.
Investment in Workforce Development
Effective workforce development involves employers providing opportunities for their staff at all levels of the organisation and should be a shared responsibility and shared commitment between the employer and workers. Everyone should be able to engage in lifelong learning.
- Staff are supported to keep their professional qualifications up-to-date.
- Learning and development opportunities are provided, and regularly reviewed, to help build the organisation’s resilience and responsiveness to change.
Further Reading
https://www.fairworkconvention.scot
https://www.gov.scot/publications/fair-work-action-plan/
https://www.gov.scot/policies/employment-support/fair-work-and-pay/
https://scottishlivingwage.org/
https://www.creativescotland.com/resources/our-publications/funding-documents/rates-of-pay-guidance