📢 Campaign Update: Broken Turnaround

Broken Turnaround (BT) continues to be one of the most urgent and under-addressed issues across film and TV. As Location crew, we’re often first on and last off, and we regularly feel the pressure of tight schedules and unrealistic schedules. This issue isn’t exclusive to TV and film — it cuts across unscripted, commercials, low-budget indies, and beyond.

Broken Turnaround refers to situations where crew aren’t given the legally required rest period between shifts. This isn’t just about working long hours — it’s about the time in between, and when that’s reduced , it creates dangerous working conditions.

🔍 What’s the problem?

• BECTU’s own reporting shows that 1 in 4 crew have experienced fatigue-related accidents, most commonly involving car journeys home.

• Some productions still operate under the assumption that this is part of the job — it isn’t. It’s illegal.

• In unscripted and lower-budget work, the situation is even worse — “The Wild West” as it was described in the recent webinar — with people scared to speak out for fear of being replaced.

⚠️ What are your rights?

• Rest breaks are protected under Working Time Regulations. Even if you “agree” to extended hours, rest is non-negotiable.

• The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) can intervene, especially if concerns are reported — even anonymously. They do inspect and can issue warnings or stop work altogether.

• You can say no. And BECTU is here to support that.

🛠 What is BECTU doing?

• Publishing guidance and distributing “Know Your Rights” materials to crew on the ground.

• Launching an anonymous reporting tool to gather data on turnaround breaches — this will feed directly into discussions at JASE and with producers.

• Pushing for penalty payments that actually reflect the risk and disruption caused by broken turnaround.

• Calling for producer education, especially among Line Producers, about legal responsibilities around crew hours and welfare.

💬 What can you do?

• Speak up: Submit an anonymous report when you experience BT. Submit one here https://bectu.org.uk/broken-turnaround/

• Track your hours: Keep records of wrap/call, travel, and actual rest, make sure you are getting your 11 hours!

• Use the resources: Familiarise yourself with your rights, get in touch if your not sure about something.

• Lead responsibly: If you’re managing crew or setting call times, build schedules that protect your team’s rest — not just the production’s demands.

📌REmember

The industry has changed before — it can change again.

With collective effort, Location teams can help lead the push for safer, fairer working patterns across every kind of production.