Last week Equity formally started our negotiations with Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) to revise the collective agreements across film and TV.
Our aim is to secure a new agreement with improved pay and working conditions.
In addition, we will soon be renegotiating the side letter agreements with streaming platforms: Apple, Netflix, and Disney plus. The terms that will be negotiated will then be reflected in Equity contracts across film and television in the next few years.
These negotiations could not be taking place at a more important time. Following on from the obstacles that underpinned last year’s SAG-AFTRA industrial action, we too will be fighting for our members and demanding better in film and TV.
Five key areas
We’ve seen huge appetite from Equity members to demand better in film and TV. Following unprecedented levels of engagement during our consultation with our members working in film and TV, you’ve told us that these are the five key issues that matter most to you in these negotiations:
- Pay – substantially increasing minimum fees.
- Secondary payments - reforming royalty and residual payments so that artists receive a fair share in an ever changing media landscape.
- AI – regulating the use of generative artificial intelligence in production and fighting for clear protections for members.
- Casting – codifying our self-tapes guidelines to establish fairer methods of casting.
- Fair contracts – tackling the misuse of special stipulations which are being used to undermine the collective agreement. Ensuring contracts have key terms for suitable hair and make-up provisions including for members of all ethnicities and cultures.
We are still finalising the proposals for our stunt performer and coordinator members, and will be update on these shortly.
We will consult our members every step of the way in these negotiations, by continuing to hold open meetings for members working across the sector.
Help build the union's power
But our power at the bargaining table doesn’t come from Equity staff. It comes from you. The only way we will win our demands in these negotiations is if you stand with your fellow Equity members in film and TV to demand better.
So here are four things you can do right now to help build the union’s power in these negotiations:
- Encourage other working artists/performers to join Equity. The higher Equity’s membership levels are, the more powerful we are in driving change. Send them this join link via WhatsApp.
- Join our Film & TV Network to stay up to date on the latest developments of our negotiations.
- Invite Equity along to the read through and/or rehearsal of your next film & TV engagement to help the union increase our engagement with working members. Send us an email saying you want us there to productions@equity.org.uk
- Put yourself forward as the Equity Deputy for a film and TV production and help get your fellow cast members engaged. If you’re nervous, we’ve got your back and will support you every step of the way.
In the coming months we will be calling on Equity members working in film and TV to take action to get these negotiations over the line. Crucially, Equity will be running a ballot on any deal reached, so working members will have a vote on the collective agreements that you will be working under in the future.
Remember. We only have power to change things when we stand together.
If you all stand alone, PACT can ignore you. But if we all stand together, we can demand better and win.
