West End Depping Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct is a guide to best practice when using deps within the West End. It has been put together by the West End Sub Committee and represents the view of the Musicians’ Union as to how chairholders on shows should contract their deps.

• Ideally the invoice should to be sent to the chairholder within seven days of the relevant period or submitted weekly. Payment to deps should be made within seven days of invoice for the depped period being received by the chairholder.
• Deps should be paid at least the full show rate. All relevant overtime/doubling/trebling/quadrupling, full Sunday uplift, bank holiday and ancillary payments should be paid.
• A period spanning more than one payment period may be paid at the end of the second payment period if mutually agreed.
• Once the offer of work to a dep has been accepted, cancellation of this work should only occur if the show itself is cancelled.
• Deps may be asked to be ‘on hold’ or ‘pencilled’ for a date but there is no obligation from either party until the chair-holder confirms the date.
• Deps to be sent a show recording and up-to-date dep pad in good time.
• Backdated pay rises should be passed to the deps once received.
• New deps to be given details of fees, show timings and local rules regarding time to be in the pit etc. Fixer details should also be shared in case of emergency.
• All relevant overtime payments to be passed on to deps.
• Deps should be told which instruments will be left in the pit for them to use and which they will need to bring in.
• Deps should be sent a confirmation text on the morning of each show, or first in a run of shows.