West & South West Equity Branch

May 2018 Newsletter

Next meeting: Wed 9 May, 7pm

Seven Dials Club, 42 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LA (opposite )

Guest speaker: Mat Burt

The 2018 VAULT Festival underneath the arches in Waterloo attracted 70,000 people to 350 shows in 16 venues. It's the largest platform in London for innovative, daring, new work - and is committed to being the fairest for artists too. Festival Director Mat Burt tells us all about it. On at 7pm sharp!

WORKSHOPS IT’S MAUREEN! AND THANKS 2 workshops coming up We are absolutely thrilled this month: Mon 14 May, that branch member, our MALCOLM! A massive Thank You too to 10-1 or 2-5 at Equity HQ very own Maureen Beattie, is Guild House. Empowering to be the new President of current President Malcolm Sinclair. Malcolm has done a the Actor with Lucy Equity – and the first female Jenkins of Jenkins President since 1946. superb job as President these last eight years. McShane Casting. And Following Malcolm Sinclair’s Wed 30 May, 10-1 also at extraordinarily successful Diversity, equality, Casting Manifesto, harassment - he's Guild House, Audition eight years, Maureen has Technique with been elected unopposed for dealt with an extraordinary array of major issues, as well Christopher Worrall, the next two years’ term. And Casting Director at the she will be making her debut as many less publicised, sometimes at the eye of a Donmar Warehouse. appearance since the result Both workshops £20, or ….. with us at the next global media storm - and done so with intelligence, £10 for first 3 branch meeting on 9 May! student/graduate members. Come and hear her views on charm and passion, all the while somehow maintaining See attachment with this the challenges we face and newsletter for full details, how we can overcome them. a successful career as an actor. He has been a total including how to apply.

Audition day - Fri 18 May, star and a very hard act to Next PLAY READING is on 10-17.00, Spotlight. Paul follow. Fri 25 May, 12pm at Guild Davies, Artistic Director of House. Play to be MAY DAY RALLY Volcano Theatre, who will confirmed! Email Larner on Sat 12 May 2018 is the date shortly be casting their next [email protected] for for the TUC’s official May production – a tour of more details nearer the Day rally, where Equity will Macbeth. Volcano is a small, time. be looking to play a full part. energetic, responsive arts

company with a great track Join the closed Branch Committee member record. Full details in Discussion Group on Ayvianna Snow has attachment accompanying Facebook. Email Malcolm personally recruited 23 this newsletter. on [email protected] branch members this year.

W&SW London Equity Treasurer: George Play readings: Larner In brief ….. Hull’s Branch Contacts: Staines Wallace-Taylor year as UK City of [email protected] On Twitter: Speakers: Joan Culture attracted @EquityWSW London Blackham Rehearsed readings: more than 5 million Cliff Chapman people, £220 million On Facebook: Workshops: Sarah rr.equitywswlondon@gm of investment and www.facebook.com/Equi Agha ail.com 800 new jobs. A tyWSWLondon/ equity.wswlon.workshop [email protected] Union update visits: collection of over Chair: Malcolm Ward Freya Dominic & Su 100 of the most [email protected] Auditions: Will Baylis & Gilroy disastrous 07770 764388 Ayvianna Snow 07599 428481 inventions will go on display in the new Vice Chair: Daniel Social media/students: Plus: Rhonda Page Eddy Cottridge & Nicky Bachmann, Andrea Museum of Failure Goldie Black in LA. The UK’s Secretary: Larner creative exports are Wallace-Taylor worth £21 billion, £6 secretary.equity.wswlon billion more than @gmail.com previous estimates.

The NHS should ELECTION HUSTINGS! UNDERSTUDY RUNS Following prescribe the arts The London branches are our recent motion to Council on more, according to a holding JOINT LONDON including understudy runs in the new Arts Council HUSTINGS for the forthcoming forthcoming commercial theatre Wales study. A Council elections on Monday 11 negotiations, this really useful performance of June, Equity HQ Guild House, 2- (and thoughtful) tip from casting James MacMillan’s 5pm. Come and grill the director Irene East: Is there any Stabat Mater will be candidates who want to speak way of reminding members that the first ever concert on your behalf for the next two casting directors are very live-streamed from years! Interested in coming? grateful to be informed of the Vatican. Ringo Drop Malcolm a quick email, so understudy runs? I've, not Starr has been we can have an idea of infrequently, cast actors from knighted. You can numbers: understudy runs. It does seem now learn Star Trek [email protected] to be a rather haphazard language Klingon on business. Some managements the Duolingo app. TANIA FOLEY SUMMERTIME are very helpful, but others feel it The Church of CABARET! Named after much doesn't come under their is to begin loved committee member Tania jurisdiction, and rely on actors taking contactless Foley, who passed away in involved to get the word out. donations at more hospital last year aged only 39, THANKS, IRENE! than 16,000 we are thrilled to announce that INSURANCE FORMS AT churches. UK we will once again be holding CASTINGS Following member theatres could face a our summer scratch Jamie Newall’s jawdropping list of £180 million lighting night/cabaret – on Tuesday 24 personal items he had to fill in at a bill under new EU July at the Bread & Roses in recent casting, just to say that proposals to ban Clapham. Got a party piece you Equity are ONTO this. It may take a certain lighting love showing off? Got an while – it’s the insurance fixtures. Facebook is audition piece you’d like to try companies who are the problem, getting into online out? Got a song you think would not the production companies, so dating. A new they don’t have the same influence go down well – with London’s museum has – but they are addressing the issue. most fun, welcoming and opened in Passau, sympathetic audience?! Email In the meantime, their advice is to fill in the insurance forms. Germany celebrating Will: [email protected] the dachshund.

MINUTES OF W&SW LONDON EQUITY BRANCH MEETING, APRIL 2018

Wednesday 11th April 2018, Seven Dials Club, Covent Garden

Attendees (33; *committee member): Freya Dominic*, Callan Durrant, Su Gilroy, Claude Starling, Mimi Brooks, Ayvianna Snow*, Malcolm Ward*, Miranda Heath, Philip Anthony, Larner Wallace-Taylor*, Jamie Newall, George Staines*, Davey Seagle, Nicky Goldie, Linda Beckett, Annie Fitzmaurice, Felicity Trew, Christopher Poke, Flip Webster, Chris Eccles, (illegible), Richard Evans, Alexander Gordon-Wood, Clive Greenwood, Pat Boothman, Silas Hawkins, Fenella Fairbairn, Sibeal McGuinne, Daniel Page*, Victoria Gigante, Rhonda Bachmann, Lola May, Peter Charlton.

Apologies: Brian Harty, Lin Sagovsky, Andrew Macbean, Kristin Milward, Mary Drake, TIm Block, Rosemary Macvie, Andrea Black, Chandrika Chevli, Sheila Keating, Paddy Glynn, Sarah Agha*, Mufrida Hayes, Kate Copeland, Carrie Cohen, Maureen Beattie, Adam Wittek, Noël Butler, Rosemary Smith, Eddy Cottridge, Victoria Seabrook, Penelope Lambton, Sarah Simmons, Sarah Edwardson, Will Baylis*, Cliff Chapman*.

March meeting - Corrections/Matters Arising

• Lola May attended but was mistakenly omitted from the list of attendees. • Rhonda’s SERTUC meeting was January 20th, not March 14th. Rhonda also wished to clarify that Sadiq Khan’s five Brexit strategies report was circulated prior to the SERTUC meeting, but was not discussed at all at the meeting itself. Finally, the fifth and worst case scenario according to the Khan report was reversion to WTO rules with no transition period.

News from the Committee

Secretary Our next reading of dirty butterfly by debbie tucker green (note edgy lower case spellings) will take place at the irregular date and time of 25th May at 12.30, due to Bank Holiday closures at Guild House.

The recent motion, proposed by committee members, regarding the reallocation of branch funding equally amongst branches was rejected at the March Council meeting. They said:

‘The current structure is fair and reflective of the responsibilities of the branches to their members in their areas. However we remind branches they can already apply to the Honorary Treasurer for an additional amount up to £100 for a single specific project. Refer the motion to Matt Hood’s Review of Engagement so its contents and the Council’s position can be considered.'

Finance Our balance is currently £3200. A quarterly claim has been submitted to Guild House for our reimbursable expenses, which totalled £1064.63. Once this has been received our balance will be £4300. The success of the workshops so far this year means that we run at a healthy surplus. Malcolm reiterates that the money belongs to the branch and that our accounts are available for any member to look at, if they wish.

Workshops • Donmar Casting Director, Christopher Worrall, to reschedule a workshop for the end of May. • 14th May - Lucy Jenkins - Casting Director to host workshop on Audition Technique. • 8th June - Simon Godwin returns for an all day session on Timon of Athens.

Auditions

• 19th April - Coz Greenop - CEO of Green13 films, makers of independent British feature films

Equity Council Elections Malcolm reads out a statement from Andrew Macbean, our former chair, who seeks branch support in the upcoming Council Elections.

I’ve been an Equity Councillor for two years and before that, Chair of the W&SW London Branch. During that time I’ve instigated or been involved in the Casting Manifesto, a review of cast visits, the anti bullying action plan, and getting more producers to use our contracts. I work in all sectors of theatre from outdoor to the National to fringe, plus bits of TV, film & corporate role play. My priority is for Equity members to get more access to job opportunities with better terms and conditions. ALL members, whatever their background, ethnicity, gender, disability, class, age or representation, should be given a chance. For example with the help of Equity members I commissioned a survey into BBC casting. It found they use a fraction of potential agents when circulating breakdowns. I think this is wrong and needs to change. Any questions message me at [email protected].

Re-election would reassure Andrew that members believe he will represent them effectively and fairly. While Council is the ultimate decision maker, it’s only through collaboration and co- operation that things can be achieved. Staff support is crucial, as is member engagement. Throughout the next two years, Andrew wants to push monitoring and increasing the number of producers who use Equity contracts and he’s proposing a motion at the upcoming Council meeting.

A vote was taken and was overwhelmingly carried to support Andrew in the Council Elections.

Larner Wallace-Taylor requests a branch nomination.

The landscape of our industry has changed significantly in the past ten years and the experience of those entering our industry today is unlike that of our predecessors. Whilst advancing technologies continue to broaden the range of job opportunities available to us, they can also connect us to unscrupulous employers more easily and those at the start of their careers are often the most vulnerable. In a union where the average age of a member is 27, I believe that young members should see greater representation on Council to ensure that the interests and concerns of those with every level of experience are brought to the table. For the past two years, I have continually sought to promote the interests of young members as a dedicated union activist - and last year co-organised an event for over 90 young people which centred around ways in which Equity can help those embarking on the first steps of their career. I am a proud member of the West & South West London branch and would value their support as I seek to represent members at the highest level of our union.

After hearing Ian McKellen speak at a branch meeting last year, she realised how greatly the industry had transformed since he began his career. Despite our union having the youngest of any union membership, there is only one Young Members seat on Council. She believes that those entering the industry today deserve their chance to be heard. She cites her work at the branch so far including an industry panel event in celebration of TUC Young Workers Month, attended by over 90 young people.

Larner leaves the room before a vote is taken. It is overwhelmingly carried.

Su Gilroy Report on the Branch Member Survey

Two months ago, the committee asked members taking part in branch activities to answer a short survey. The aim was to investigate how the committee could encourage a higher voter turnout across Equity elections, following a turnout of 4.7% at our recent branch elections. These were distributed at workshops, rehearsed readings, play readings and auditions. 69 surveys were returned, and an overwhelming 52 surveys described the activity as ‘excellent’. 38 respondents voted in both the latest Council and branch elections. 20 respondents did not vote in either the Council, Branch or Industrial Committees election - with some citing that they were unaware of the elections, were too busy or were new members and therefore didn’t understand the processes. Su thanks all those members who provided their email address and offered to volunteer to help the branch committee.

Malcolm thanks Su for collating the report. He recalls a recent conversation with Equity’s Asst. General Secretary Matt Hood, in which he talked of SAG AFRTA elections not long ago in the US. Despite hugely controversial issues which made national news, turn-out was still only 20%.

Council Report (from Andrew Macbean)

A full report of the March Council meeting can be found on the Equity website.

Unknown Funds - revised rules as to how Branches should apply to have these funds spent are further delayed.

Online Branch - the notification process was agreed to be suspended as they allow posts to be distributed and viewed outside online branch members and are the subject of a number of pending complaints concerning a debate on Brexit. This suspension is temporary.

Sexual Harassment Action Plan - This Is A Safe Space poster printed and starting to be sent out. A long list of action points are being worked through by staff.

Actors’ Centre - following the questioning of a 3 year proposal which didn’t mention that the Tristan Bates Theatre wasn’t signed up to the PMPP (Professionally Made Professionally Paid) campaign, the Centre has confirmed they are in discussion with Equity to ensure that our contracts are used. Our £15K sponsorship was agreed subject to a commitment to use the Equity Fringe Agreement.

Glasgow Office - new premises have been found which will be fully accessible for all abilities. Purchase to go ahead.

Motions - numerous motions were considered following a raft of regional AGMs:

- The Northern England Area proposed that Equity abandon the new logo - rejected. - From the London AGM two motions were agreed - asking for lobbying to prevent NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements) being used to cover up crimes (this proposed by W&SW London branch members Claude Starling and Nicky Goldie) and - commissioning a detailed report into on stage and screen East Asian talent (referred to the MEM (Minority Ethnic Members) Committee. - The motion (from W&SW London branch members Larner Wallace-Taylor and George Staines) concerning a reallocation of available funds in favour of small branches was rejected with the prevailing view that the current structure based on branch membership was fair. Andrew asked that branch funding be added to an overall Branch Review which is due to take place starting in June. - A motion from the Scottish AGM calling from increased transparency of decision making from Creative Scotland (the equivalent of Arts Council England in Scotland) was passed as was a motion from the Northern Ireland AGM highlighting a 40% drop in arts funding in NI over the last 6 years and calling for increased lobbying.

Councillor Motions - in an attempt to get greater clarity around which companies use our contracts Andrew proposed a motion asking for lists for independent and commercial theatre producers who use our agreements (both collective and house agreements) to be provided to the Stage Committee so that additional target companies could be more easily identified using the frontline knowledge of members. Although this was supported by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Stage Committee it was strongly opposed by staff as simply being more paperwork and that it should be up to the committee itself to ask for this rather than a Councillor. Andrew was disappointed at this response as a clear and well communicated strategy such as Professionally Made, Professionally Paid has clearly demonstrated what can be achieved. Reluctantly he agreed to refer the motion to the Stage Committee for review.

One of the Variety Councillors, Steve McGuire, proposed a motion asking for the work criteria definitions for election to an industrial committee be reviewed. This was agreed.

ARC (Annual Representative Conference) 2018 - this is to be held in London on 20 & 21 May. We spent a very long time discussing semantic wording of the provisional agenda. We also discussed possible speakers, and the Open Space sessions.

AOB

• Andrea Black is standing as a Green Party Candidate in Hounslow. Irrespective of party politics, we wish her well. • Member Jamie Newall has been cast in a very small role in a feature film. He shared some of the unnecessarily intrusive questions which he had been asked to answer as part of a six page medical questionnaire. Laura Messenger at Equity is currently investigating this. Jamie was also asked to return the form via a production assistant - which raises questions as to who has access to the information. One member suggested that this may be in breech of the new GDPR data protection regulation. The meeting generally agreed that whilst medical forms were necessary, the detail Jamie had been required to provide, including details of any operations in the past ten years, was not. Member Claude Starling suggested that this may be related to ‘key person insurance’ - where the company are required to prove that it could continue to operate in the event that the CEO was no longer able to perform their role. One member suggested a standardised health form for different age brackets, issued by Equity. • In the subsequent discussion, another member shared a very recent experience in which she was asked to fill out her age on a form issued by a casting director. She highlighted to others in the casting room that this may not be something that they should do, but no one wanted to cause any disruption. Women’s Committee member Flip Webster stated that this is against the law and took out the recent wallet-sized card issued by the Women’s Committee which advises how to answer this and other questions. • One member shared details of a new TV series The Big Audition which is set to be produced by the company behind First Dates. Casting Calls have been issued across various websites for a Henry VIII to perform in Hampton Court Palace. Malcolm to forward details to the relevant staff at Equity.

ARC MOTIONS DEBATE

The following motions are discussed and commented on in a round table-style debate:

Women’s Committee

This ARC welcomes Council’s plans to embed a mediation process into the union’s complaints procedure.

This ARC strongly urges Council to lay down a new and comprehensive complaints structure which ensures fairness for all involved. This should include consideration of the General Secretary (or President where appropriate) working with one other / other(s) as decided procedurally in what is currently referred to as Preliminary Enquiries.

Where mediation is not successful, the subsequent formal procedure should provide full information to all involved and regular updates on a mutually agreed timescale. The revised rule and/or accompanying policies and procedures should also ensure that bullying is seen as a specific offence, along with harassment. The formal process of investigating a complaint should be completed as soon as is reasonably possible. Accordingly, serious consideration should also be given to the need for the Right of Appeal for all penalties. It is envisaged that this will require significant changes to Rule 28 and any related procedures determined by the Council.

In order to consult fully and appropriately with the membership, Council should consider convening a working party (with agreed timescales to develop and carry out consultation with the membership) including elected committee members and branch members.

Therefore, this Annual Annual Representative Conference requests that a Rule Change Motion and other proposed revised procedures, should the working party so recommend, be prepared and presented for approval at the 2019 Annual Representative Conference.

Following our anti-bullying motion at the 2017 ARC, it is generally agreed that the branch supports any way to tackle bullying and harassment within our industry. For too long these have been accepted ideas, and thought to be ’the way the industry is’. One member states that her perception of this has changed since coming to meetings and supports any change that can be made within the union itself to further other work currently being done.

Northern England AGM

Following the success of the Professionally Made, Professionally Paid campaign and the agreement attached to it, this ARC asks Council to explore the possibility of a similar campaign in Theatre in Education [TIE] in areas where we are not already organised.

TIE stands apart from other areas of our industry for several reasons. Actors are often asked to not only build the sets of each show but also to drive most of the tour. Some TIE companies will offer a minimal driving “bonus”. (One example is just £30 per week when driving frequently exceeds five hours a day on top of a ten-show week). As an area of the industry that can often be an actor’s first experience, as a union we ought to be making our presence felt to not only attract new actors into membership, but also to improve working conditions for existing members.

Professionally Made, Professionally Paid has now become an established mechanism - and is perhaps similar to TIE in the way it needs to be considered and changed. It was generally thought that practical implementation of the motion may be difficult. How do you contact those with direct experience of it? This maybe perhaps deserving of a campaign. One member suggested that actors working in theme park-style attractions could possibly be included in the motion; however a unionisation drive amongst those actors specifically was voted on at the 2017 ARC. Another member highlighted that it is often public sector bodies who employ these companies; the notion that local councils should only seek to hire those who pay actors industry rates was incorporated into Paul Fleming’s Five London Pledges for the forthcoming local authority elections.

Scottish National Committee

This ARC urges the Council to include in our claims for future negotiations for all our agreements a clause calling for consideration to be given to professional talent from where the production is made as advocated by the Manifesto For Casting.

It was generally agreed that actors can have multiple bases - where do we draw the line? One possible amendment could be to change consider to see. What does it mean to be considered? Sometimes prevents venues from paying train fares from London as many claim to be local but then get train fares. It was generally agreed that the wording is non-specific.

The Council (Young Members Committee) This ARC urges the Council to encourage casting calls and job opportunities to be solely referred to as an Equity contract or non-Equity contract.

This ARC is concerned that are too many terms used when describing the type of contracts offered in casting calls, and this can be confusing for members.

For example, “Equity Minimum” sounds like a low pay job, but members would actually be earning the standard fee fought for by the union. Also, phrases like “Equity Equivalent” and “Above Equity Minimum” may sound like good deals but do nothing to state the actual terms of work. Overtime, bank holiday payments and travel may not be included in the contract, despite the wage being in line with Equity rates. A contract is not just the fee that you are paid but also the terms that you are required to work under.

By enacting this motion, members would then know up-front that they were working on the Equity terms appropriate to that venue or company, and have the chance to see a different contract before accepting. This would also encourage producers to solely use Equity contracts, as members would rightly want to know why not.

It was discussed as to what the aim of the motion intended; to clarify whether or not a job is an Equity contract and thereby meets Equity terms of work as opposed to merely equalling the level of pay. For example, the terms ‘Equity’ or ’non-Equity’ would simplify matters and would include wider working conditions. Member Claude Starling suggested trademarking the term Equity contract? Could an amendment be made which states exactly which Equity contract is being referred to such as ’Sub-Rep Equity Contract’ etc.

Birmingham and West Midlands General Branch Currently, employers employing workers under conditions which breach employment law cannot be stopped unless an individual worker takes action. Many workers are unwilling to do this, and this does not prevent the employer from continuing to employ other workers under illegal conditions. There is no punishment or deterrent.

This ARC requests that the Council collaborate with the Trades Union Congress to campaign for a change in the law to allow an employer to be pursued by the legal system without the need for a worker to complain, and for this to be a criminal matter, not a civil one.

It was generally agreed that the legal system doesn’t operate like this. Might that they mean that there is a way of reporting matters anonymously? Although complainants generally must be named. The law is very clear on what a criminal matter and what a civil matter is. Equity don’t have the power to change the law. The special attentions list is an example of one such system within Equity. It was generally thought that the motion is misconceived, poorly worded and ill thought-out. It was not supported.

Brighton and Sussex General Branch

Recent figures show an alarming decrease of entrants into our industry from less affluent backgrounds.

This ARC condemns this situation and urges the Council to mount a campaign to abolish tuition fees for top professional training courses. Furthermore, we urge the Council to open a dialogue with broadcasters, Theatre UK, film producers such as Amazon and Netflix, social media etc., to establish bursaries for student maintenance.

Whilst the motion states tuition fees, attendees were generally unsure whether this was relating to audition or tuition fees. It was generally agreed that the wording was non-specific and perhaps demanded too much.

Although more motions were scheduled for debate, fewer than planned were discussed due to a medical incident. A vote was taken to ensure that the meeting was happy for the committee to decide an amendment.

Minutes by Larner Wallace-Taylor

Next meeting - May 9th with speaker Mat Burt, Co-Director of VAULT Festival.