A more powerful union?

Posted on April 7, 2008

Equity too often appears toothless, why can’t our union be more like the Screen Actors Guild?

The comparisons between Equity and our sister Union SAG are very difficult to make. SAG has a current membership in excess of 120,000 with subscription rates somewhat higher than ours; the focus of their activities is on the recorded arts whereas Equity encompasses all elements of performance live and recorded. It is also true to say that SAG operates under a very different legislative environment and can enforce a closed shop with employers – the closed shop has been outlawed in the UK since the 1980s and appears unlikely to return as none of the major political parties support it.

Equity has worked extremely hard since the abolition of the closed shop and our successes are measured by our sister unions in the US looking to us for a lead in the way we are negotiating new media rights without recourse to industrial action.

Obviously there is much more Equity wants to do, and members can rest assured that the union is workng to secure the best possible agreements for members and ensuring that we maintain and increase our role within the wider industry.

TV is Changing • Equity