Equity has signed a new house agreement with Duckie and The Posh Club. The agreement means that Duckie recognise Equity as the trade union for their performers and will use Equity’s Variety House Agreement and Dignity at Work Policy.
This agreement establishes a formalised working relationship between Duckie and Equity and is one of the first of its kind for Variety/Cabaret/Drag performers in the UK.
In working with Equity, Duckie is recognising the importance of union representation and protections for performers throughout the Variety/Cabaret/Drag sector.
Commenting Nick Keegan, Equity Variety Organiser said: “We are delighted that Duckie have chosen to work with Equity and encourage performers to join the union. Performers at Duckie and The Posh Club will now be engaged using an Equity contract and Equity Dignity at Work policy. This is an excellent step for gigging performers who work some the most precarious working patterns in our industry. We would encourage workers to contact us if there are other bookers/employers who you think could be using this agreement.
“Performers working in night-time workspaces and LGBTQ+ workspaces have faced increasing precarity in their work in recent years, and hostility from the far-right. We hope that this agreement will set an example of best practice in a growing sector and highlight the importance of ensuring safety and dignity at work for a precarious workforce.
“If you are a company, booker, or promoter engaging freelance gigging performers, we would encourage you to contact Equity to adopt the same best practice policies.
“If you are a performer, we would encourage you to ask the companies, bookers, or promoters you work for to adopt these best practice policies, so they become a standard across the industry.”
Simon Casson, Producer of Duckie and The Posh Club said: "Duckie and The Posh Club are pleased to be working with Equity. We recognise the importance of union representation and protections for performers in our sector, and we hope that other companies will do the same."
If you are a performer at Duckie and The Posh Club and not yet an Equity member, then find out more about our membership benefits and join today.
Join Equity today
