Committee elections 2019 w INTRODUCTION BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY w VOTING INSTRUCTIONS w CANDIDATES’ ELECTION STATEMENTS *S01* CONTENTS INTRODUCTION BY THE GENERAL SECRETARY page 3 VOTING INSTRUCTIONS page 4 SCREEN & NEW MEDIA COMMITTEE — ACTORS pages 5—8 SCREEN & NEW MEDIA COMMITTEE — BLACK & MINORITY ETHNIC page 9 SCREEN & NEW MEDIA COMMITTEE — WALK-ONS pages 10 SCREEN & NEW MEDIA COMMITTEE — STUNTS pages 11 STAGE COMMITTEE — ACTORS pages 12—16 STAGE COMMITTEE — BLACK & MINORITY ETHNIC page 17 VARIETY, CIRCUS & ENTERTAINERS COMMITTEE pages 18—22 AUDIO COMMITTEE pages 23—26 DANCE COMMITTEE page 27 DIRECTORS AND DESIGNERS COMMITTEE pages 28—31 SINGERS COMMITTEE pages 32—34 STAGE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE pages 35—38 NORTHERN IRELAND COMMITTEE pages 39—40 SCOTTISH NATIONAL COMMITTEE pages 41—45 WELSH NATIONAL COMMITTEE pages 46—50 DEAF AND DISABLED MEMBERS COMMITTEE pages 51—54 LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER + COMMITTEE pages 55—58 MINORITY ETHNIC MEMBERS COMMITTEE pages 59—63 WOMEN’S COMMITTEE pages 64—70 YOUNG MEMBERS COMMITTEE pages 71—75 2 INTRODUCTION Dear Equity member, Equity is committed to ensuring that we are a powerful industrial force and that every voice in the union is heard. To achieve this, the Equity Council has a network of committees, at the heart of which are three influential industrial committees — Screen and New Media, Stage and Variety, Circus and Entertainers — with the authority to conduct negotiations. These committees, made up of members with recent experience of relevant work and elected by members with similar experience, are at the forefront of improving pay and conditions for members. Supporting them are five specialist committees — Audio, Dance, Directors and Designers, Singers and Stage Management — all made up of members with recent relevant working experience. There are also three national committees of members in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, four equality committees — Deaf and Disabled; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender+; Minority Ethnic; and Women — and a Young Members Committee. These committees are an important part of the union’s democracy and a dynamic force for change. With the support of the Equity Council they are taking forward the industrial agenda, driving the union’s policy-making and ensuring that the voice of working members is heard at the centre of the union’s work. Please use your vote to ensure that these committees represent you. On the advice of our independent ballot scrutineer your ballot paper contains your name and address. Please be assured that this does not affect the secrecy of the ballot. Equity has no access to your ballot paper or to information on how or whether you voted, and ballot papers returned to Equity will not be counted. If you have any questions please call our elections helpline on 020 7670 0266 or email [email protected]. You can also watch a short video about how Equity’s committees work on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/EquityUK Yours sincerely, Christine Payne General Secretary 3 VOTING INSTRUCTIONS Please read the candidates’ statements in this booklet before casting your votes Alexandra Afryea Proposed by Grainne Gillis, seconded by Annie Fitzmaurice How excited I am to be under consideration for the Equity Screen and New Media Committee! As an experienced member of the industry I understand, firsthand, the issues facing working actors, and actor-parents. I’m prepared to contribute to the work Equity undertake to further the interests of all members. As a professional actor my work has spanned numerous years, including student films, Hollywood ‘blockbusters’, commercials, BAFTA-winning television dramas, voiceovers and theatrical productions. Many were lucrative, others less so. It’s my goal for all productions to commit to full © MICHAEL SHELFORD Equity contracts because, as creatives, we shouldn’t have to suffer for our art. During my tenure, I aim to make a positive difference within the union, offering my experience, work ethic and being a fresh, new voice on the team. I’m an active Equity member, attending TO VOTE BY POST TO VOTE BY INTERNET meetings and encouraging non-member actors to join - as we are only stronger together. Please read the instructions on entitlement Please go to Equity’s website at www.equity. to vote against each voting grid in the ballot org.uk/members-area and click on the paper included in this mailing and then vote Vote Now button to be taken to the secure Peter Barnes by marking a cross (O) in the boxes next to independent voting site, then use your Proposed by Steph Bramwell, seconded by Frances Rifkin your chosen candidates. unique voting code printed on the first page Joined 1967. Work in most fields. Member S&NM Committees, Working of your ballot paper. Parties. Campaign Co-ordinating Committee. Former Councillor, ARC Return your completed ballot paper Representative, Deputy, Branch Secretary. Honorary Life Member. immediately in the pre-paid envelope Internet voting is available 24 hours a day Thanks for your support in previous elections. A priority is to unionise provided so that it is received by the until noon on Friday 12 July 2019. the games industry. The involvement of practitioners in this field is vital. independent scrutineer Popularis no We must prevent unacceptable exploitation of our members in the new later than noon on Friday 12July 2019. TV landscape. We have the only union Agreement with Netflix. We can If you have lost your pre-paid envelope resolve problems with Exclusivity and other streaming services. The BBC you can post your completed ballot Agreement is much improved, but Pact members still don’t fully comply ©LB PHOTOGRAPHY paper to: Popularis, Nutsey Lane, Totton, with Agreements and many film employers remain outside Pact. I helped Southampton SO40 3RL develop Equity’s new policies on arts funding and campaigning, which include a publicly funded film sector and defence of public service broadcasting. I’m active in the Co-operative Personal Management Association and deal with contracts in my agency. Vice-Chair of BECS. [email protected] Sean Biggerstaff Proposed by Maureen Beattie, seconded by Ian Barritt PLEASE NOTE: I have worked widely in film, television, audio and theatre for 26 years. 1 You may vote by internet or vote by post, but not both. Any attempt to vote more than once will The work of the Screen and New Media Committee is more important be detected. than ever in this time of constantly changing business models, new 2 If you vote by internet, please do not return your ballot paper in the post. platforms and huge challenges and opportunities for trade unionism, 3 For the following committees or sections of committees there were insufficient candidates and it has been a huge education and privilege to serve on it for the to trigger an election and the candidates have therefore been elected unopposed: Screen past two years, overseeing and scrutinising much needed new and New Media Committee - actors seats, black and minority ethnic seats and walk on seats, agreements and bringing fellow members’ concerns to the committee’s Dance Committee, Directors and Designers Committee, Singers Committee, Northern Ireland attention. Please allow me to continue to use my experience to benefit Committee, Wales National Committee and the LGBT+ Committee - female-identifying and our union. ©MARTIN FORRY ©MARTIN male-identifying seats. Election statements for all candidates on all committees, including those elected unopposed, are included in this booklet. 4 There were no nominations for the the Variety, Circus & Entertainers Committee - black and minority ethnic seats. 4 SCREEN COMMITTEE — actors Alexandra Afryea Proposed by Grainne Gillis, seconded by Annie Fitzmaurice How excited I am to be under consideration for the Equity Screen and New Media Committee! As an experienced member of the industry I understand, firsthand, the issues facing working actors, and actor-parents. I’m prepared to contribute to the work Equity undertake to further the interests of all members. As a professional actor my work has spanned numerous years, including student films, Hollywood ‘blockbusters’, commercials, BAFTA-winning television dramas, voiceovers and theatrical productions. Many were lucrative, others less so. It’s my goal for all productions to commit to full © MICHAEL SHELFORD Equity contracts because, as creatives, we shouldn’t have to suffer for our art. During my tenure, I aim to make a positive difference within the union, offering my experience, work ethic and being a fresh, new voice on the team. I’m an active Equity member, attending meetings and encouraging non-member actors to join - as we are only stronger together. Peter Barnes Proposed by Steph Bramwell, seconded by Frances Rifkin Joined 1967. Work in most fields. Member S&NM Committees, Working Parties. Campaign Co-ordinating Committee. Former Councillor, ARC Representative, Deputy, Branch Secretary. Honorary Life Member. Thanks for your support in previous elections. A priority is to unionise the games industry. The involvement of practitioners in this field is vital. We must prevent unacceptable exploitation of our members in the new TV landscape. We have the only union Agreement with Netflix. We can resolve problems with Exclusivity and other streaming services. The BBC Agreement is much improved, but Pact members still don’t fully comply ©LB PHOTOGRAPHY with Agreements and many film employers remain outside Pact. I helped develop Equity’s new policies on arts funding and campaigning, which