Equity Magazine Summer 2019
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www.equity.org.uk SUMMER 2019 Why HMRC are getting out of control First union deal with Netflix Local casting campaign WHY ACTIVISM MATTERS Kobna Holdbrook-Smith on the importance of Equity EQUITY CONFERENCE ROBERT GLENISTER ON LOW PAY CAMPAIGN REPORT HIS TAX CASE RELAUNCHED INSURANCE? EQUITY MAGAZINE SUMMER 2019 IN THIS ISSUE 20 4 NEWS Equity’s fight with HMRC, union elections, EU Exclusive Professional Property Cover for copyright directive Equity members UPFRONT 7 Christine Payne, Equity General Secretary UK/Europe or Worldwide MEET THE MEMBERSHIP cameras and ancillary equipment, PA, sound ,lighting, and mechanical effects equipment, portable computer 8 Kobna Holdbrook-Smith on the importance equipment, rigging equipment, tools, props, sets and costumes, musical instruments, make up and prosthetics. of the trade union SUCCESS STORIES GET AN INSURANCE QUOTE AT FIRSTACTINSURANCE.CO.UK 10 Contract enforcement secures £11m from Hollywood Studios and Netflix agreement Tel 020 8686 5050 8 PRESIDENT MAUREEN BEATTIE First Act Insurance* is the preferred insurance intermediary to 15 Shape your industry by voting in our elections *First Act Insurance is a trading name of Hencilla Canworth Ltd Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 226263 PROFESSIONALLY PAID 16 Campaign relaunches with emphasis on small scale touring, immersive theatre & creative team First Act Insurance presents... 24 ROBERT GLENISTER 20 Robert reflects on the gruelling tax test case he led for Equity CAMPAIGNS 24 Cast it here and #ProudToBeEquity IN APPRECIATION 28 Remembering two former Councillors 30 CONFERENCE REPORT 30 Report from the 2019 Equity conference HAVE YOUR SAY Key features include 36 Self-tape groups and supporting diversity • Competitive online quote and buy cover provided by HISCOX. YOUR EQUITY • Annual or short period cover available. Member offers 16 38 Equity staff profile: Marlene Curran, recruitment & retention organiser Tel 020 8686 5050 VISIT SHOWTIMEINSURANCE.CO.UK Branch notes Explore Northern Ireland Where and when you need it! First Act Insurance* is the preferred insurance intermediary to *First Act Insurance is a trading name of Hencilla Canworth Ltd Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 226263 2 equity SUMMER 2019 www.equity.org.uk www.equity.org.uk SUMMER 2019 equity 3 FRONT OF HOUSE IN BRIEF EQUITY UNDER ATTACK BY HMRC MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT IN Union members are being targeted by tax office in a move that could end self-employed status Stalking guidance STALKING IS A CRIMINAL MATTER and THE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS should be reported to the police. You EQUITY COMMITTEE ELECTIONS open on 5 June. Enclosed with this can also contact the National Stalking magazine you will find a booklet of election statements from the candidates, Helpline on 0808 802 0300. The union can a ballot paper and a prepaid envelope to send your votes back to us. Voting closes actively help in some circumstances and at noon on 12 July. we have created a guide that you can find We have three industrial committees — Screen & New Media, Stage and Variety, online here: Circus and Entertainers — with the authority to conduct negotiations. These EQUITY IS UNDER SIEGE in defending its www.equity.org.uk/bullying committees, made up of members with recent experience of relevant work, are at members against the ruthless approach of the forefront of improving pay and conditions for members. Supporting them are the tax authorities. A co-ordinated attack is five specialist committees — Audio, Dance, Singers, Stage Management and underway that could lead to entertainment Charity Poker Tournament Directors & Designers — all made up of members with recent working experience. professionals losing their self-employed THE ANNUAL EQUITY poker tournament There are also committees of members in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, status and the associated blow of causing was held on 5 May in London, with all four equality committees — Deaf and Disabled; LGBT+; Minority Ethnic; and producers to think again about investing in proceeds going to charity. This year the Women — and a Young Members’ Committee. the UK entertainment sector. event raised £1,206 for Mary’s Meals, Voting will also be possible online from 5 June. Some candidates have supplied The union recently lost a test tax case that which is enough to provide school meals video statements that will be available on our dedicated Youtube channel when was led by Robert Glenister, pictured, on for 87 children for a whole year. voting opens: https://bit.ly/2HGkmLW behalf of hundreds of members. It was a technical case regarding national insurance where the HMRC unethically exploited a Bullying article loophole that will now put Equity members THE SPRING 2019 issue of the magazine CLASS NETWORK LAUNCHED at risk of losing their homes. Robert Glenister contained an article regarding bullying VICKY MCCLURE, JULIE WALTERS AND JULIE HESMONDHALGH are backing called it “a cynical cash grab” and the and the ‘company culture’. Some the union’s new class networks that recently launched in Liverpool protracted case has led him to take members in the production alluded and London. The aim is to address working class representation in the medication for depression; read his views on to in the article have contacted Equity entertainment industry. page 20. Unfortunately this is just the to disagree with the version of events Grassroots interest in setting up the networks has been growing and beginning of an assault by HMRC that could described. Equity wants to emphasise that members are joining together to share experiences and to campaign with damage all our members. The tax office has it will listen to and support all members others around measures that will help to address the considerable barriers delivered draft guidance for the who believe they have been bullied. facing working class creative practitioners accessing work and making entertainment sector to Equity that is a You can contact the union via the progress in the sector. complete disaster and were it to be adopted Bullying and Harassment helpline on: These events have generated testimony and ideas that will be fed into would effectively mean the ending of 020 7670 0268. the Performers’ Alliance All-Party Parliamentary Group’s inquiry into the members’ self-employed status. class ceiling in the creative sector. At the launch in Liverpool, opened by Equity’s General Secretary Christine Payne Equity’s President, Maureen Beattie, Ricky Tomlinson called for working said: “If this new guidance becomes official Glasgow office move class performers to be given the chance to appear in the many TV shows engagers would have no choice but to put OUR GLASGOW OFFICE has now moved to and films that get made locally and Amy Stout shared her experiences of most of our members on to PAYE not just in its new location. If you want to pop in and the prohibitive cost of auditioning for drama schools. film or TV but also in theatre. All engagers see Lorne, Adam or Marlene here’s Stephanie Greer, Northern Area Councillor, who led the event said: would face spiralling costs and administrative the new address: “We just want to be treated fairly - to have the same opportunity to prove complications. HMRC are on the verge of Cambridge House ourselves as our wealthy counterparts do. Let me in the room - if I don’t get being out of control. They cannot – and must 4th Floor the job, fine - at least I was given a chance”. not – be allowed to try and overturn decades 8 Cambridge Street Paul Fleming, industrial organiser for theatre, added: “By being a new of consensus and precedent on tax status in Glasgow G2 3DZ point of access to the union’s democratic structures, as well as a dynamic the creative industries.” The union is All other contact details remain the same place to campaign for working class artists, this exciting, grassroots determined to fight back, read more about and can be found at the back of the initiative will keep & grow the voice of working class members at the heart this from Christine on page 7. STEWART PAUL magazine. of Equity’s work.” For further information, please email [email protected] 4 equity SUMMER 2019 www.equity.org.uk www.equity.org.uk SUMMER 2019 equity 5 FRONT OF HOUSE UPFRONT EU COPYRIGHT DIRECTIVE: NEXT STEPS Fighting for our future LAST MONTH, the Copyright Directive was formally endorsed by their material, rather than based on a flat rate. While Equity already If HMRC’s suggested guidelines for our sector are adopted it will have catastrophic consequences the Council of the European Union, clearing the final hurdle of its negotiates performers’ exclusive contractual rights to get secondary use for all our members and the entertainment industry as a whole. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose rocky path through the EU’s legislative process. and additional payments, this may provide some protection against The starting gun will soon be fired on a 24-month period by which time buyout contracts (where authors are forced to abandon all rights and EU countries must implement the new rules into domestic legislation; entitlements, before there is any way of assessing how well a programme whether the UK is required to do so depends on the nature of the UK’s will perform) and will assist with developing collective agreements in of national insurance including good guidance because it generally departure from the EU. areas without them. employers’ national insurance from preserved the current self-employed In any Brexit scenario, Equity will urge the UK Government to these members – members who tax status of our members while implement it, advocating for this legislation as we did throughout its Stephen Spence, Deputy General Secretary – Industrial and HMRC have always accepted are self- recognising their status as workers passage with The International Federation of Actors (FIA) and many other Organising, said: employed for tax.