In a bid to stimulate inward investment and modernise the local industry, Screen Producer’s Ireland (SPI), the representative body for producers and production companies in Ireland, and trade union SIPTU, which represents film crews, have signed a new industrial contract.
The agreement sets out minimum rates of pay for crew positions, new arrangements for overtime and night shoot premiums, reforms on travel and mileage payments and new arrangements for dispute resolution.
The agreement also sees the creation of a film partnership forum where industry figures can discuss and review changes within the sector.
Andrew Lowe, chairman of Screen Producers Ireland’s Industrial Relations Committee said: “Our international reputation has been adversely affected over the last few years by an unpredictable industrial relations environment. This new agreement directly addresses and corrects that.”
“This move will help create an environment that enables the industry to sustain the current levels of employment as well as potentially increasing the numbers employed in the sector in future years. Once again, Ireland has become an attractive place for Hollywood producers to locate a film. As well as having a stable industrial relations environment, we benefit from having a supportive tax arrangement, a very capable Film Board, and a relatively competitive cost base,”continued Lowe.
“All of these factors will place Ireland high on the list when Producers are thinking of locations for their feature film and television drama co-productions. This development, together with the other incentives, will put Ireland firmly on the map as a film and TV friendly location.”
The total expenditure on Irish goods and services arising from audiovisual productions for 2008 was $215.4m (€167.8million)
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