Human resources

TR2, the workshop base for Theatre Royal Plymouth, is struggling to find staff to construct sets because of a skills shortage.

The Head of TR2 Brendan Cusack told the BBC that the Covid pandemic had taken its toll, with people with the right skills moving to other jobs post-lockdown such as in film, TV or the building trade.

"When lockdown happened a lot of people went over to other areas," he said. "Film and TV in this country now is absolutely massive. A lot of people went across to those areas and transferred into the building trade too.

"Finding the right level skill in carpentry and steel fabrication, even before starting to think about scenic art and prop making, is now quite tricky."

Music sector body LIVE has launched a survey to understand and identify changes required to improve the experience of freelancers working in the live music industry.

The Hidden Side of Freelancing will explore pay transparency and the personal experiences of freelancers at live music events. 

It can be completed anonymously. The results will be assessed, then used in a publicly available report to be published in April 2024.

“This survey will give freelancers in our industry the information needed to get the most out of the work they do and help to deliver impact change for every freelancer and the organisations that rely on freelance talent,” said LIVE CEO Jon Collins.

Technical Production Manager Paul Jones says one of the biggest single questions raised on the Live Event Freelancers Forum is about wages and pay rates.

“This survey gives every live event freelancer a chance to give accurate and honest information, and anonymously if need be. 

“There has never been more of a need to gain accurate information on pay and conditions for the freelance community so we can gather valuable insight and help shape the future of our sector and industry well into the future.

“If you are a freelancer in the live sector, you should not ignore this survey. It should be one of the most important things you do in 2024. It's your industry, let’s make a difference.”

The survey will close on 23 February.

Senior civil servants have defended their handling of an employment dispute that resulted in a payout of over £325k to the former Director General of Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales - and legal costs of £420k.

On 30 November, the Senedd’s Public Accounts Committee heard from Andrew Slade, the Welsh Government’s Director General for  Economy, Skills and Natural Resources, who described the costs as reasonable, representing the “least-worst outcome” for taxpayers.

Asked whether the payment and fees provided value for money, Slade said that an employment tribunal would have taken about two years to resolve the issue, with the outcome potentially subject to appeal.

Labour MS Rhianon Passmore noted that a tribunal could have incurred significantly higher costs of £1.2m to £1.8m. 

The payout followed a longstanding employment dispute between the museum’s former Director General, David Anderson, and former President Roger Lewis, in which Anderson brought grievances against Lewis for bullying and discriminatory treatment. 

Under the terms of the settlement, Amgueddfa Cymru agreed to make Anderson, who stepped down in November last year,  payments of more than £325k.

A further settlement of £12k went to the former Chief Operating Officer, who also bought a grievance against Lewis, with total legal fees estimated at £420k.

During the committee hearing, Passmore asked why mediation did not occur for eight months after concerns were first flagged in the spring of 2021 following Lewis’s annual review. Slade responded that the government did not have a process in place to deal with a breakdown of relations between senior museum leaders.

In October, an auditor responsible for overseeing public spending in Wales raised concerns that the settlement may not have complied with the requirements of charity law.

Amgueddfa Cymru said in a statement that while it respects the Auditor General’s opinion, “some of the evidence provided has not been reflected in the report” and that “as a result, we do not feel it a fair representation of the events that occurred or fully considers the complicated circumstances which [we] had to resolve.
 

Creative UK has unveiled a bullying and harassment resource designed to help improve and professionalise behaviours across the creative industries.
 
‘It’s NOT OK’ is a free-to-use e-learning module that aims to inform workers in the arts sector about prevalent behavioural issues and offer guidance on how to seek help.

The project follows a series of industry roundtables with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), representatives from film and television, music, advertising, games, publishing, theatre and fashion along with key unions, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), and people with lived experience of bullying, harassment and discrimination.  

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: "I've heard first-hand this week about the serious impact bullying and harassment can have.

"It is never acceptable, and the creative industries must leave no stone unturned in making sure that people feel they can contribute their skills in a safe and supportive environment. Giving them the tools and training to call out inappropriate behaviour is an important step forward in achieving that."