I, Daniel Blake producer Rebecca O’Brien and Suffragette director Sarah Gavron are among a number of high-profile UK industry figures to sign an open letter calling for cinema chain Picturehouse, and owner Cineworld, to end the dispute over the company’s policy regarding the London Living Wage.
The letter, which has been sent to the cinema chains and to Screen, says that its signatories are ”deeply concerned about the negative impact this dispute has had on our industry and businesses over the past three years”.
”The disruption caused to this year’s BFI London Film Festival highlighted for us the negative impact this dispute is having on the industry,” the letter continues.
It also calls for Picturehouse and Cineworld to re-enter negotiations with union Bectu “without delay”.
Further signatories include Elizabeth Karlsen of Number 9 Films, Saving Mr Banks producer Alison Owen, Cornerstone Films’ Alison Thompson, Love Actually producer Duncan Kenworthy and The Party director Sally Potter.
The letter comes against the backdrop of Living Wage Week in the UK, an initiative run by the Living Wage Foundation. The week commenced with the suggested Living Wage being raised 4.6% to £10.20 in London and 3.6% to £8.75 for the rest of the UK.
Picturehouse currently pays £9.30 in London and £8.36 elsewhere in the UK. The company has previously maintained that, with paid breaks factored in, these rates are equivalent to £9.92 and £8.92 over an eight-hour shift.
Screen has reached out to Picturehouse and Cineworld for comment. (Picturehouse previously issued a statement on the industrial dispute in September.)
Last month, Screen analysed what the ongoing dispute meant for the UK’s exhibition industry.
Read the full text of the open letter below:
To:
Clare Binns, Director of Acquisitions and Programming, Picturehouse Cinemas
Mooky Greidinger, CEO, Cineworld
Renana Teperberg, COO Cineworld and Interim Managing Director, Picturehouse Cinemas
Dear Clare and Renana,
The Living Wage and Picturehouse
We, the undersigned, call on Picturehouse to find a solution to end the dispute with BECTU in relation to long term strike action at the Ritzy Cinema, Hackney Picturehouse, Picturehouse Central, East Dulwich Picturehouse and Crouch End Picturehouse.
The disruption caused to this year’s BFI London Film Festival highlighted for us the negative impact this dispute is having on the industry. We were particularly concerned about the difficult position many individual film makers found themselves in regarding screening their films at your cinemas. Film makers and other film workers wish to support the release of their films in any way possible, and give time and energy to launch activities, only to find themselves seriously conflicted about attending such events when they are aware of the cinema workers’ conditions at your sites.
This is the third year of disruption and it seems to us that this has now reached a point where Picturehouse needs to find an amicable resolution with its workers in order to resume a positive relationship with, and for the good of, the industry.
We all sign up to the following:
1. We acknowledge and applaud the valuable role played by cinema workers in our industry.
2. We support their right to a Living Wage as set by the Living Wage Foundation, to join their union of choice including receiving recognition of that union (in this case BECTU) and full company maternity, paternity and sick pay.
3. We call on Picturehouse (and Cineworld) to get back to the negotiating table with BECTU without delay.
We’re deeply concerned about the negative impact this dispute has had on our industry and businesses over the past three years and believe you are in a position to resolve this situation.
Yours sincerely,
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
|
Steve Smith |
Chairman, Directors UK |
|
Andrew Chowns |
CEO, Directors UK |
|
Kate Kinninmont |
CEO, Women in Film and TV |
|
Zeb Achonu |
Editor |
|
Christine Payne |
General Secretary, Equity |
|
Julie Baines |
Producer |
|
Nicky Bentham |
Producer |
|
Camilla Bray |
Producer |
|
Iain Brown |
Producer |
|
Dominic Buchanan |
Producer |
|
Timothy Burrill |
Producer |
|
Andrea Cornwell |
Producer |
|
Kahleen Crawford |
Casting Director |
|
Pippa Cross |
Producer |
|
Finola Dwyer |
Producer |
|
Tim Fywell |
Director |
|
Tony Garnett |
Producer |
|
Sarah Gavron |
Director |
|
Tony Grisoni |
Writer |
|
Tom Harper |
Director |
|
Dan Hine |
Producer |
|
Kamilla Hodol |
Producer |
|
Amanda Jenks |
Producer |
|
Emilie Jouffroy |
Producer |
|
Matthew Justice |
Producer |
|
Elizabeth Karlsen |
Producer |
|
Kurban Kassam |
Producer |
|
Duncan Kenworthy |
Producer |
|
Line Langebek |
Writer |
|
Paul Laverty |
Writer |
|
Stewart le Marechal |
Producer |
|
Emily Leo |
Producer |
|
Ewa J Lind |
Editor |
|
Andrew Litvin |
Producer |
|
Ken Loach |
Director |
|
Kevin Loader |
Producer |
|
Gillies MacKinnon |
Director |
|
Ivana MacKinnon |
Producer |
|
Malcom Moore |
Producer |
|
Rebecca O’Brien |
Producer |
|
Kate Ogborn |
Producer |
|
Lisa Osborne |
Producer |
|
Alison Owen |
Producer |
|
David Parfitt |
Producer |
|
Michael Pearce |
Director |
|
Amanda Posey |
Producer |
|
Sally Potter |
Director |
|
Lisa Marie Russo |
Producer |
|
Tim Sealey |
Producer |
|
Christopher Sheppard |
Producer |
|
Charles Steel |
Producer |
|
Gabrielle Tana |
Producer |
|
Alison Thompson |
Sales Agent |
|
Warp Films |
Production Company |
|
Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto |
Producer |
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