As the trade union for singers, Equity negotiates collective agreements which set minimum terms and conditions for work in the industry. Equity also regularly supports individual members when they have issues at work. We can take action on late or non-payments on your behalf, offer you support, guidance and representation if you are being bullied or harassed at work, provide information and advice on best practice and fair process. Equity members can also access the union’s Social Security and Tax Helpline, free legal services and representation in disputes over work, and a cradle to grave range of legal services which are free or offered at discounted rates. Membership includes insurances - including personal accident insurance so you are covered in the event of an accident whilst at work or doing work-related activity, Public Liability Insurance of up to £10 million and backstage insurance.
But together, our voices as singers are stronger. Collectively, we can change our working lives for the better.
Click on your area of work below to find out more about what we can achieve together with a powerful and active membership.
I have been an Equity Deputy since 2013 working on an Equity contract in opera, in a company with a large turnover. I also work regularly on a freelance basis in Classical singing, an area where membership is much lower and conditions and pay are much more haphazard and precarious. I wanted to join the Singers Committee to work to improve recruitment through a 'Singers' Manifesto', showing what Equity can offer to freelance singers.
Andrew Davies, Chair, Singers Committee.
Singers - areas of work
- Negotiating improvements to, and establishing new, Equity-negotiated Agreements appropriate to Opera Companies of different sizes, including the summer festivals, so that pay, work-life balance and other working conditions are improved.
- Empowering members with knowledge about your rights in employment law, and how you can assert these with Equity’s support.
- Contract advice and enforcement - including confidential advice on non-Equity contracts before you sign them.
- Campaigning and lobbying for political change, including for publicly funded work to be produced on appropriate union-negotiated terms and conditions.
- Electing Equity Deputies to ensure workplace representation for singers in opera productions.
"I was injured during rehearsals for a production, with no Fight Director present. I was working on an Equity agreement which ensured I had an entitlement to paid sick leave, and the union also negotiated appropriate financial compensation and physio from the producer." - Singer and Equity Member
- Building collective power and campaigning capacity through the union’s Liturgical Singers Network - open to all Equity members who undertake this type of work. Find out more here.
- Establishing a charter of best practice, and encouraging institutions to commit to engaging singers with these principles to improve terms and conditions for freelance singers.
- Supporting members in workplace disputes and enforcing contracts.
- Supporting members seeking union recognition when permanently employed, and subsequently negotiating union terms and conditions of engagement which protect and further pay and working conditions.
“This is a really exciting time to be an Equity member in liturgical music. Singers are clear about the issues being faced and passionate about the need for positive change. It’s great to see us coming together to make things happen”. - Oscar Simms, Equity Young Members Committee and Liturgical Singers Network Steering Group.
- Providing template contracts which you can adapt to your own circumstances, and ensure that you are protected against cancellations and late payments.
- Providing general advice and guidance about how to approach your own negotiations over rates of pay.
- Supporting you with contract enforcement if things don’t go to plan - including legal support with unpaid invoices and late payments, at no cost to you.
"When I saw a choral concert advertised on a Facebook group at a pitifully low rate, I contacted the poster and explained what the Equity minimum rate was for Classical Choral Concerts. That person went back to their organisation and the advert was changed to the Equity rate which was at the £172.50. This shows the power which exists in singers knowing and politely asserting our worth, but also how we can use and reference union resources to help us in doing so." - Singer and Equity member
- Providing template contracts which you can adapt to your own circumstances, and guidance about negotiating appropriate fees.
- Seeking to negotiate appropriate terms and conditions of engagement with relevant organisations.
- Supporting you with contract enforcement if things don’t go to plan - including legal support with unpaid invoices and late payments, at no cost to you.
"When a client of mine cancelled work without giving the appropriate notice, they refused to pay the required fee in lieu. I contacted my Equity Official who formally wrote to them asserting my contractual rights, and they then paid me in full." - Singer and Equity Member
- Protecting and furthering terms and conditions when working on screen in film and television.
- Providing contractual advice for non-union work.
- Supporting you with contract enforcement if things don’t go to plan - including legal support with unpaid invoices and late payments, at no cost to you.
- Advising members on the guidance which is currently agreed with the advertising industry bodies on working time fees, conditions and usage fees for singers in commercials (IPA/Equity Agreed Documents).
- Providing advice on negotiating contracts and resolving contractual disputes. Half a million pounds was claimed back for members in 2023-24.
- Producing a bespoke, transparent calculator for members to use to calculate their usage fees for commercials.
- Engaging with advertisers, producers and brands to negotiate a new improved agreement in commercials with new template contract for members to use.
- Providing template contracts to use in areas of work where agreements are not currently in place.
- Contract vetting, advice and guidance before signing (even if an NDA has been signed!).
- General advice on appropriate guideline rates for various areas of audio work including commercials.
- Contract enforcement where appropriate.
- Legal advice and legal help with unpaid fees, misuse of data etc.
- Establishing new union agreements with audio and video games companies
- Providing guidance on ethical use of AI including generative AI.
- Providing template wording to include in contracts to add additional AI protections.
- Undertaking case work and offering legal advice on data misuse, take down notices, etc.
- Help members to understand AI clauses in contracts
Providing guidance and advice on work that has been exploited using AI. - Negotiating with major trade associations and employers to improve AI provisions in current collective agreements and establishing terms where there are currently none.
Equity can be vocal, ambitious and forceful in its work on behalf of freelance singers. But Equity is YOU. The stronger our membership, the stronger our union and the more we can achieve collectively.
Andrew Davies, Chair, Singers Committee.
Policy and lobbying
Equity also campaigns on the issues which impact our members.
From lobbying against cuts to funding in opera, public broadcasting and elsewhere, to tackling low wages and harassment, making auditions accessible, strengthening performers’ rights and protecting against the misuse of AI. Find out more on the Policy and Campaigning pages.
Collective agreements
A core part of Equity’s work across all areas of the sector is negotiating what is known as “collective agreements” - agreements reached with management associations or individual engagers around minimum terms and conditions of engagement. We can only do this with the power of our members behind us.