What do you do if your temporary contract in media production is unfair?

Temporary media contracts? Know your rights! Check industry standards and question unfair terms. Employment laws protect you. Don't be afraid to speak up!

This is the first step and it is essential. You have to understand industry standards regarding rights and protections to ensure you’re armed to negotiate for what you deserve. If you are functioning within a context where you are not protected by collective bargaining, you will be at a disadvantage with regard to the power dynamics at play. You can’t afford to walk into a lopsided power dynamic without fully understanding what you are owed. This isn’t solely a question of compensation, but also of expectations and of working conditions. It even relates to fundamental safety.

Temporary contracts often favour experienced professionals who can negotiate terms. However, less experienced individuals face challenges. In countries with high unemployment rates, companies exploit this, making negotiation difficult. Taking action may result in not being rehired or facing repercussions. Regardless of the situation, maintain professionalism and integrity in your interactions with the employer. Avoid confrontational or hostile behaviour, as this could harm your reputation and future prospects in the industry. Building a positive professional reputation is crucial for fair treatment.

Do not take anything for granted. Review your contract thoroughly. Question everything that strikes you as at all unclear. Flag what doesn’t work for you. Investigate contractual norms for your specific situation with a neutral party, if possible (someone who you can trust to read it fairly in a fashion that allows you to decide what is right for you).

“You don’t know what you don’t know!” Sure, it’s a Donald Rumsfeld quote, now. But where’d he get it? Somewhere in the Stoic teachings. But it’s poignant, still. If you’re a true professional, you take solace in knowing that what you DON’T know, you can pay someone to find out. You never sign something unless and until you understand it all; including temporary contracts. For, as Ronald Reagan was keen on saying, “There’s nothing quite as permanent as a temporary government contract.”

Someone hiring you needs you to do the work they are hiring you to do. It sounds so obvious that it should not need to be stated, yet it is all too easy to forget this fundamental fact of the hiring dynamic. All of us are ultimately replaceable AND those individuals & organizations who hire us are as well. They can theoretically find someone who will agree to their terms and we can go find jobs that treat us respectfully. Negotiate remembering that, while you need to serve the company’s needs, the company also needs to serve yours. There is no healthy workplace dynamic that does not function as a two-way street.