CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
Calling All On-Call Editors!
by Cathy Repola
 Cathy Repola |
If you work as an on-call picture editor, is your weekly guarantee for 56 or 60 hours? The answer is: neither. This question is posed to our LA staff on a regular basis and it seems it is a commonly misunderstood concept––not only to many of our editors, but also among post-production management personnel. I am going to dispel the rumors and misconstrued notions and, hopefully, demystify what it really means to be “on-call.”
As an on-call picture editor, you are guaranteed a five-consecutive-day workweek without any set amount of hours attached to that. Where the mention of 56 or 60 hours comes into play is for pension and health contributions. Contributions into the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans (MPIPHP) are made for all hours worked and/or guaranteed.
Since an on-call picture editor does not have a guaranteed amount of hours, a number had to be created in order to make contributions. That number, used only for the purpose of making pension and health contributions, used to be 56 for a five-day workweek. In 2003, that number was increased to 60. It was increased so that on-call people would get more pension and health contributions for working five days.
As the on-call classification does not have a guaranteed amount of work hours attached to it, this had absolutely no impact on how many hours an on-call person works in five days. Nor did it have any impact on how, if needed, the hourly rate for on-call editors was calculated. It was an increased benefit for our members, not a reduction in wages. Nor was it an explicit requirement to work more hours.
While I’m on the subject, since on-call editors who work a sixth day are paid one-and-a-half times one-fifth of their guarantee and, on a seventh day, are paid two times one-fifth of their guarantee (again without any work hours attached to that), there are also set amounts in the union agreement for which pension and health hours are contributed.
Those were increased as well in 2003, in order to provide a higher level of contributions for on-call people. So, while for five days of work you get 60 hours of contributions made on your behalf, for a six-day workweek, you get 67 hours and for a seven-day workweek it is 75 hours.
Lastly, on-call editors are entitled to golden time for all hours worked after 12 elapsed hours on any day they are working in town and working under the Basic Agreement. (It varies under other agreements.) You should include in your deal memo that your overscale rate is to be used when calculating all overtime, including sixth and seventh days and golden time.
To calculate golden time using your overscale rate, take your guaranteed weekly rate and divide it by 56 hours to come up with an hourly rate to use. Double that rate for golden time during the first five days of work, triple it for golden time on a sixth day, and quadruple it for a seventh day.
If you ever have questions or concerns about your rates or working conditions, please browse this website or call our office and ask to speak to an available Field Representative.
Cathy Repola is the Assistant Executive Director of the Editors Guild, located in the Hollywood Office.