Equity

Equity is distressed to hear about plans to sell Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, and the imminent closure of its program of events.

There is just one week to go until the programming team have to vacate the London venue amid plans to sell the building.

There is no time to waste.

We need as many people as possible to sign our petition calling on the committee of BGWMC to meet with regular performers and punters to discuss options to preserve the club as a venue.

Please go to the link in our bio to sign now.

‘The Task Ahead for the New U.K. Government – and Why the Culture Secretary Is Not “Minister for Fun”’

General Secretary outlines what the new Government needs to deliver for Equity members in

🥵 As things start to hot up in many parts of the UK, take a look at our 10 practical steps for working in a heatwave on our website (link in bio).

If you ever feel unsafe as a result of work you are contracted to do, contact us for advice as soon as possible 👉 www.equity.org.uk/contact-us

🚨 SPOTLIGHT UPDATE 🚨

This morning eight Equity members filed papers at the High Court in a class action against Spotlight.

Find out why 👇
https://www.equity.org.uk/news/2024/spotlight-update-and-faqs (Link in bio too)

“With the election completed, our new government must get to grips with the performing arts and entertainment, a critical sector for the UK’s long-term success. We’ll be pressing the new administration to set out a long-term plan for UK arts funding to reach the European average, to tackle the high upfront fees charged by casting directories to make Universal Credit fairer for freelancers, to ensure public subsidy only supports work on decent union terms, and to fight for better rights in the video games and TV commercials sector. There are no creative industries without this incredible workforce. It’s time politicians stand up and offer them the same recognition that is offered by audiences across the world.”

- Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming on the formation of a new government.

Today: VOTE.

✖️Vote to save the arts
✖️Vote to stop the cuts
✖️Vote to have a voice

And don’t forget to bring your photo ID.

Share your selfies outside the polling station with us using to let everyone know that you’ve voted to save the arts (remember you can’t take photos inside the polling station).

📢Yesterday our members took to the streets of Glasgow to demand an end to the cuts that are decimating the arts.

✂️One Glasgow constituency has lost £11 million in public arts funding since 2017.

🗳️Tomorrow: vote to save the arts.

We have grave concerns about Spotlight’s latest price hike. Since 2023, Equity has explored legal routes to challenge unreasonable fees charged by casting directories.

A full update will be given to the new Equity Council next Tuesday 9 July and members updated on progress later that week.

⌛️ LAST CHANCE ⌛️

Ballots close in the elections for Equity’s Council, Appeals Committee and Conference Business Committee on 28 June.

🗳️Don’t lose your voice - post your ballots back today! 🗳️

The Guardian, The Stage, Evening Standard and more have covered our call for Parliamentary candidates standing in the general election to commit to increasing arts and entertainment funding. This follows our research with Autonomy that shows national arts councils have cut funding by 16% in real terms since 2017. If we want the arts to thrive across the country - whoever holds power in the next Government - we need Equity members to contact their local constituency candidates and tell them why they need to defend and extend the arts, alongside other actions. Now is the time to make your voice heard and tell your soon-to-be elected officials why the arts matter to you. Use the link in our bio to write to your local candidates!

⏰ Important deadlines for registering to vote in the General Election ⏰

👉 11.59pm Tuesday 18 June: Deadline for registering to vote

👉 5pm Wednesday 19 June: Deadline for applying for a postal vote

👉 5pm, 26 June: Deadline for applying for a Proxy vote.

We can only put arts funding front and centre of the national agenda if Equity members are registered to vote.

Link in bio!

🗳 We want to put arts funding front and centre of the national agenda at the General Election.

BUT, we can only do this if you - Equity members - are registered to vote.

Register to vote today - link in bio.

Deadlines to know:
18 June - deadline to register to vote
19 June - deadline to apply for a postal vote
26 June - deadline to apply for a proxy vote or a Voter Authority Certificate (if you haven’t got the accepted ID).

🗳VOTE NOW: YOUR UNION, YOUR CHOICE 🗳

Voting is now open in the elections for Equity Council, Appeals Committee and Conference Business Committee.

Voting is by post, if you haven’t received your ballot papers email [email protected]

Don’t miss your chance to shape the future of your union: return your ballot papers by post today. Your ballot needs to arrive with UK Engage, our independent scrutineer, in the post no later than 28 June.

Vote vote vote.

🚨Ballots are dropping this week in the elections for Equity’s Council, Appeals Committee and Conference Business Committee.

Don’t miss your chance to shape the future of your union. Return your ballot papers by post today! 🗳️

Full details via link in bio.

Join us at Tolpuddle Festival, Dorset, 19-21 July for a weekend of solidarity, talks and live music.

We’ll be organising coaches from London & the Southwest on Sunday, when the festival is free to attend.

Email Elin on [email protected] by 31 May if you’d like to join us.

Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming responds to news of a 4 July general election:

“This election is long overdue. Equity will be undertaking unprecedented non-partisan campaigns through the coming weeks to demand the long overdue end to austerity, freedom for trades unions, and rights for workers from every candidate. We demand a government committed to good work for all artists, good art for all workers, and Equity for all people.”

T H A N K Y O U

Thank you to all our amazing members who joined us for an inspirational and invigorating three days at . You make conference and you make the union.

Thank you to all our incredible speakers who joined us from around the world too – from Coventry to Columbia - and everyone who ran one of our excellent fringes.

See you next year!

Images show:

1: Equity’s Student Deputies Committee speak to their motion on cancelling the gate keeping of tuition fees for professional training.

2: Fringe event on the struggle for fair conditions for Colombia’s performing arts workers, as well as the sector’s support for peace and human rights with

3: Equity General Secretary speaking at a fringe event on the radical history of Equity.

4: Equity for a Green New Deal

5: Equity Vice President Jackie Clune speaks to Equity’s motion to the 2024 calling for the repeal of the unfair exemption for the performing arts and entertainment industries from the ban on upfront fees to work-seekers

6: Equity’s new Honorary Life Members (l-r): Activist and member of Equity’s Stage Committee Viv Parry, dance activist Yukiko Masui, Equity Midlands Area Councillor Tonya Daley-Campbell and Dr Abdelfattah Abusrour, director of , with Equity President Lynda Rooke .rooke.7

7: Londiwe Shange (South Africa) and Frana Marija Vulic Vrankovic (Croatia) of FIA Future Now, the young members’ committee of

8: Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, opens conference on Sunday morning with calls for art for all

9: Thangam Debbonaire, MP for Bristol West and Shadow Secretary for Culture, Media & Sport, addresses conference on Saturday

10: New Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, addresses Equity members on Saturday in Birmingham Town Hall

Photos:

One of the highlights of is the awarding of new Honorary Life Memberships, the union’s highest honour.

We were honoured this year to present the award to :

Dr Abdelfattah Abusrour, director Alrowwad Culture & Arts Society, Palestine

Viv Parry, activist and member of Equity’s Stage Committee

Yukiko Masui, dance activist

Tonia Daley-Campbell, activist and Equity Midlands Area Councillor

An emergency motion at has passed unanimously in solidarity with chorus members at the Welsh National Opera, who face salary cuts and redundancies.

The union will provide whatever support is required to amplify their campaign ✊

“We should never ever doubt our combined strength. We are 50,000 strong.”

Equity President Lynda Rooke opened day 1 of yesterday.

Image1: Equity President .rooke.7

Image 2: Members come together at Conference to set the policy of the union.

Image 3: Daniel York Loh of Equity’s Race and Equality Committe calls for funding bodies to ensure artists are allowed “full range of political expression” in a motion that passed ✊

Image 4: A motion by to counter far right and attacks on LGBTQ+ community passed ✊

Image 5: Equity General Secretary

REVEALED: Arts Council England’s guidelines warning arts organisations that “political statements” could break funding agreements was formulated in relation to the Israel-Gaza war. Click the link in bio to read ’s exclusive uncovered by our Freedom of Information request.

Our FOI reveals that the controversial ACE guidance was discussed in a meeting with the government’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport to discuss “Reputational risk relating to Israel-Gaza conflict”. ACE had previously met with us to deny that the guidance was related to Israel-Gaza.

This revelation is deeply troubling for artistic freedom and expression. It also raises questions about Arts Council decisions being subject to political pressure from the Westminster government.

🚨Save our WNO
🚨Achub OCC

Join us on the steps of the Senedd, Cardiff, at 1pm on Tuesday 21 May to call on our politicians to fund the arts and save the Welsh National Opera.

#

Welsh National Opera’s proposals to change chorus contracts would cut pay and undermine job security. We will not accept compulsory redundancies” of chorus members at WNO. Read our full reponse on our website (link in bio)

As members of , the
Equity Birmingham and West Midlands branch were out in support for yesterday’s Save Our Services rally in Birmingham!

Alongside fellow trade unions and community groups, we are united in opposing the £300m of cuts to services and funding imposed by

Solidarity with workers all over the world on May Day!

To mark International Workers’ Day we’re taking a look at the past, present and future of Equity’s commitment to standing alongside workers the world over. Link in bio.

If you’re going to a march or rally today tag us in and we’ll reshare

“If you’re going to use our image and voice etc, we want to be paid and we want to know about it - and we want to be paid properly.”

Equity President Lynda Rooke at the conference, calling for consent, transparency and fair remuneration in Artificial Intelligence for Equity members.

You can learn more about your rights and how to protect yourself when it comes to AI by visiting our AI toolkit - link in bio.

Equity Statement on use of generative AI voice in a production commissioned by the BBC.

A matter involving an Equity member and an Independent Producer commissioned by the BBC was brought to our attention on 27TH March 2024 and we have been in touch with the member and the BBC over the last couple of days. The BBC have since issued a statement on the matter.
 
We appreciate that this was a unique and difficult situation for the parties involved and we are in constant dialogue with the members, agents and the BBC and the other engagers on this and all the other challenges the industry faces from AI. We hold the BBC to their principles that the use of Generative AI must‘ always prioritise talent and creativity’  which mirrors one of Equity’s core principles that Generative AI must be Human centred – Human artistry must continue to be at the centre of production, which will form part of our negotiations with all the engagers.
 
It is important that where AI is used creatives involved in the project, at contract and pre-contract stage, are transparently communicated with regarding the grounds of use. This is key to our members’ dignity at work, and we will continue to engage in a constructive conversation with the producers of this programme to emphasise why this is essential.
 
Equity continues to lobby around the lack of explicit legal recognition of synthetisation in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and encourages all members to read our AI Toolkit to better understand their current rights in this field.

🚨STAYING SAFE AT CASTING AND AUDITIONS + IN SHOWREELS/SELF-TAPES🚨

Knowledge is power!

It's not always possible to protect yourself from those who would abuse casting and auditions processes, but knowing what to watch out for could help.

Brush up on our advice for keeping yourself safe at casting and auditions and in showreels and self-tapes - for members and non-members.

Staying safe at castings and auditions | Equity Always exercise extreme caution when attending castings and auditions where you are unsure of the validity of the sessions.

This local election we’re asking you to save the arts and stop the cuts.

Join our Zoom webinar to find out how you can take action in your local community:

Tuesday 19 March, 7pm
Sign up on our website - link in bio.

The government’s austerity squeeze on council budgets has put arts funding on the chopping block time and again.

Soon there won’t be any local government arts funding left. We’ve got to draw the line.

Find out how you can save arts funding in your local community by joining our webinar.

Have you been engaged on an Equity Film or TV contract in the last three years? Do you think the industry needs to change? Are you ready to help build a strong network that can support bargaining better terms and conditions for members? Join our brand new Network for Film & TV!

Your voices are more important than ever this year as we head into renegotiations for all our collective agreements in film and TV. These agreements dictate the key terms you’re working on from minimum rates of pay, secondary payments (such as royalties and residuals) to hours of work, breaks and overtime. So making them fit for purpose is vital and it’s crucial that your voices are front and centre at every stage and beyond.

Only by working together can we bargain for better pay, terms and conditions. Sign up to the network today! [Link in bio]