Good Evening
In the last couple of weeks we have had to sit back and watch as our industry grinded to a halt putting thousands of our colleagues out of a job across the film and television sector. As someone who ran a production company for seven years, I know how scary it can be when faced with an empty diary and the stress it puts upon a household.
It is in times like these, we need to come together and stand united as one to make sure we get through this crisis and that our industry returns to work at the earliest and safest opportunity. In the meantime our industry colleagues are facing a dark and uncertain period where the self employed are virtually being left to fend for themselves which is totally unacceptable. We must make sure, that no member of our industry is made to suffer for a situation they did not cause and we need to ensure that the government puts in place the appropriate measures to help.
Now more than ever, it is important to be part of a union, to make sure our voices are heard and that our fight does not go unnoticed. I was once part of the BECTU trade union and I know how vital it was having them on my side. Therefore this afternoon I have written to both BECTU and Equity to ask them to set up a discounted membership system to get as many of our industry colleagues through the door and to make our unions stronger, at a time when we need them most.
In addition to this I have also asked for a channel of dialogue to be set up between the unions and the Glasgow Filmmakers Alliance to provide our members with the latest up to date information regarding the response from government to the coronavirus crisis and what our colleagues need to do to keep their finances in order. I know not everyone is a member of the GFA so if you wish to sign up on a temporary basis to emails, please contact us at info@glasgowfilm.co.uk
If and when there are any updates regarding membership deals from either union, we will of course post across our social media accounts as well as our direct mailing service.
“Whatever the weather, we stand together”
Chris Quick
Director of the Glasgow Filmmakers Alliance