Actors' Equity's Open Access

 

[For decades, the only ways to gain membership in the professional stage actors’ and stage managers’ union in the United States has been to obtain work under an Actors’ Equity Association contract; work under a contract of one of Equity’s sister unions, such as SAG-AFTRA (or, before the merger, the Screen Actors Guild or the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), the American Guild of Musical Artists [AGMA], or the American Guild of Variety Artists [AGVA]), and then “buy in” to Equity; or through the Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) Program in which actors may work in union productions for credits towards eventual membership, for which a candidate becomes eligible after 50 weeks of work at theaters that are a part of the EMC program. 

[Now the union has announced a major change in these membership requirements.  On Tuesday, 20 July, Actors’ Equity made the new eligibility requirements public, creating a flurry of reports in the theater press.  I’ve collected some of the coverage of the announcement and the union’s own publications on the change. 

[Below is one full article, from Playbill, and three pieces from Equity, including the press release.  Following those, I have excepted some of the individual commentary by the press outlets with a few opinions and interpretations some of the publications made.]

ACTORS’ EQUITY ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION OPENS UP ELIGIBILITY FOR WORKERS IN NON-EQUITY PRODUCTIONS
by Dan Meyer

[The following article was published on 21 July 2021 in Playbill, the national theater magazine.  It covers the announcement by Actors’ Equity Association of a significant change in the theatrical actors’ and stage managers’ union’s requirements for membership.]

The Open Access membership policy will also make it easier for former members of Equity to rejoin the union.

Actors’ Equity Association, the union for theatrical performers and stage managers, has opened up its eligibility with a new membership policy titled Open Access. Moving forward, theatre workers who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction can join the union, effective immediately.

Open Access also opens the door for former members of Equity to rejoin the union without having to secure a new Equity contract, as required under previous policy. Former members and former applicants for membership who choose to join Equity under this policy may also apply previously paid initiation fees toward their current application. Eligibility will extend for two years, with application and down payment of applicable fees required by May 1, 2023.

“The old system had a significant flaw: It made employers the gatekeepers of Equity membership, with almost no other pathways to joining,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association. “The entertainment industry is disproportionately white, including and especially theatrical leadership. The union has inadvertently contributed to the systemic exclusion of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Color] artists and others with marginalized identities by maintaining a system in which being hired to work those contracts was a prerequisite of membership. We hope that artists from all backgrounds will join us in building a union that uplifts the entire theatre community, especially those who have not felt included or welcome in the past.”

Open Access is part of AEA’s Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, the union’s efforts to re-examine its own systems, structure, and processes through an anti-racist lens.

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[AEA’s own press release on the subject of the new membership qualifications, as published on its website, https://www.actorsequity.org/news/PR/OpenAccess/, on 21 July.]

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES ‘OPEN ACCESS,’ EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR UNION MEMBERSHIP

New York – As the live arts industry begins to restart, and work increases as the pandemic diminishes, Actors’ Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has announced a new Open Access membership policy, allowing any theatre worker who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction to join the union.

Previously, eligibility for union membership had been limited to those working for an Equity employer – whether by direct contract offer or through the Equity Membership Candidate program – or to members of a sibling union. Now, Equity is broadening access to union jobs that offer living wages, benefits and important workplace safety provisions.

“The old system had a significant flaw: It made employers the gatekeepers of Equity membership, with almost no other pathways to joining,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association. “The entertainment industry is disproportionately white, including and especially theatrical leadership. The union has inadvertently contributed to the systemic exclusion of BIPOC artists and others with marginalized identities by maintaining a system in which being hired to work those contracts was a prerequisite of membership. We hope that artists from all backgrounds will join us in building a union that uplifts the entire theatre community, especially those who have not felt included or welcome in the past.”

Additionally, the Open Access policy invites former members of Equity to rejoin the union without having to secure a new Equity contract, as required under previous policy. Former members and former applicants for membership who choose to join Equity under this policy may also apply previously paid initiation fees toward their current application. 

Open Access is effective immediately for actors and stage managers who wish to join or rejoin Equity, regardless of country of origin or residence. Eligibility will extend for two years, with application and down payment of applicable fees required by May 1, 2023. Further details about the policy are available on Equity’s website.

Background: Open Access is one of the pillars of the union’s Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, Equity’s strategic framework for re-examining its own systems, structures and processes from the ground up to move Equity toward becoming an antiracist organization.

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[Further details and the answers to some questions were provided in another AEA post, undated but available at https://www.actorsequity.org/join/openaccess/.]

OPEN ACCESS

IT’S EASIER THAN EVER TO JOIN EQUITY!

And it’s more important than ever for actors and stage managers to stand together in solidarity to make theatre a safer, more equitable industry. Are you ready to become a union member? Begin your application here.

WHAT IS OPEN ACCESS?

Put simply, Equity membership is now open to any stage manager or actor who has worked professionally on a theatre production in the United States. We’ve also made it easier for former Equity members to rejoin the union. 

WHY IS EQUITY OPENING ACCESS?

For many years, eligibility to join Actors’ Equity Association has been limited to those who are working for an Equity employer – either by direct contract offer or through the Equity Membership Candidate program – or to members of a sibling union. 

But Equity theatres, like all entertainment industry employers, are disproportionately run by white people, and their programming and hiring decisions show that they often hold biases in favor of people from similar demographics. In fact, recent hiring studies demonstrate that Equity contracts are disproportionately offered to white people, and the majority of new members join via a contract.  Because our membership rules until now have left access to membership in employers’ hands, they have implicitly created a disproportionately high barrier to access for actors and stage managers of marginalized identities. We have inadvertently contributed to the systemic exclusion of people of color and people of other marginalized identities from the benefits of union membership.

We are taking steps to change that. Open Access is one major step.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

If you are an EMC [Equity Membership Candidate] or a former member, or if you have previously worked in an Equity theater, we may already have the information needed to confirm your eligibility to join Equity. Otherwise, if you have worked professionally as a stage manager or actor in the United States, you will need to provide proof of that work and proof of payment for that work (e.g. pay stub, W2, 1099, etc.). Your application and a $600 down payment toward the initiation fee are required by May 1, 2023. Learn more about Dues & Fees.

Former members and former applicants to Equity membership can have previous initiation fee payments credited towards the amount owed for joining or rejoining. All members now have three years to pay off their initiation fee.

Open Access is currently in effect until May 1, 2023. In the meantime, Equity will be developing a permanent gateway to membership that addresses racial inequities in accessing membership in the union. 

FAQ

Why should I become a member of Equity?

Actors and stage managers are workers, and unions like Equity provide important workplace protections for workers. As a union member, you will have the strength of more than 51,000 fellow members standing beside you, as well as a professional staff enforcing your contracts. This means fair pay, safer workplaces and the opportunity to make a real living in the theatre. Equity also provides a wide range of benefits that enhance both the professional and personal lives of members, from negotiated minimum salaries to a pension plan and supplemental workers’ compensation. Learn more.

How much does it cost to join the union?

Initiation fees are currently $1700, which can be paid over the three years following application. Once you become a member, you will pay annual dues in May and November, as well as working dues (a percentage of your paycheck) that help Equity function and serve its members. Learn more about Dues & Fees.

I’m an EMC. Do I need to finish my candidacy to join the union?

EMCs are welcome to continue along their path to Equity membership. However, they can also become members immediately, and any fees they have paid to the union will go towards the initiation fee.

I'd love to join, but I have a non-union job booked. Can I still join?

You must complete any non-union theatrical acting or stage managing jobs before joining the union, but once your gig is over, you can join!

I used to be a member, and my membership lapsed. Can I rejoin under this program?

Any former member can rejoin through Open Access, with the exception of those who left Equity to work on a non-union production. Former members and former applicants to Equity membership can have previous initiation fee payments credited towards the amount owed for joining or rejoining.

What if I am not a citizen, or currently living abroad?

As long as you have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager in a theatrical production the United States, you are eligible for membership, regardless of residence, country of origin or citizenship status.

How exactly does this address racial inequality?

Equity theatres, and indeed all entertainment industry employers, are disproportionately led by and populated by white people. Our membership rule has created a disproportionately high barrier to access for actors and stage managers of marginalized identities. Open Access is one of the pillars of our Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, and there is still plenty of work to be done to transform Equity into an anti-racist organization. There is more to be done to ensure that all stage managers and actors – whether longstanding Equity members or newly eligible – can expect safe working environments free of bias and prejudice. But opening membership can't wait until we’ve finished the Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit. Every stage manager and actor deserves access to the protections of union membership immediately.

I understand this is about removing barriers to access for people with marginalized identities. If I don't believe that applies to me, can I still enroll under Open Access?

Yes! This is about increasing access to the all the union has to offer, and building solidarity with fellow theatre workers of all backgrounds. The union needs everyone who wants to be a part of building a better industry— the labor movement means we are all stronger together. The time has come for Equity, not employers, to invite workers into the union.

How will this affect auditions held exclusively for Equity members?

Auditions may get more crowded. During the transition from one model of union membership eligibility to the other, new and unpredictable concerns will arise. And still: stage managers and actors deserve access to the protections of union membership immediately. 

How did Open Access happen?

The union is the members, and the members made their voices heard!

Members began serious conversations about changing this policy prior to the pandemic. A working group was formed under our Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, where the details were hammered out. While this work was ongoing, elected delegates crafted a resolution in support of broadening access to membership, which convention passed enthusiastically. Council overwhelming voted in favor of the new policy.

And now here we are, putting these members’ visions into action.

What else is Equity doing to address inequality in the union and the theatre industry?

Equity is currently undertaking the Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, a process aimed at remaking our union from the ground up as an antiracist organization. Open Access is just one important piece of the Retrofit; you can learn more on the website, along with other diversity and inclusion initiatives.

What if I have other questions that aren’t listed here?

If you have any other questions, please contact membership@actorsequity.org. And you can join our webinar on August 31st (registration and more information coming soon).

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OPEN ACCESS

On Tuesday, May 18th, 2021, council approved the Open Access resolution to enact a series of recommendations to eliminate barriers to Equity membership, making our union stronger and more inclusive. Central Principal Councilor and Open Access Action Team Leader Bear Bellinger, who helped develop those recommendations, shares his experience with the process of creating this ground-breaking change.

Joining Equity

The first thing I noticed when I decided to join Actors’ Equity Association was how difficult it was to join Actors’ Equity Association.

I had been steadily working in Chicago for years, mixing in union theatres with a few non-union houses – serving my time, as some folks like to put it.

I was committed; I was driven; I was focused; but I was not protected. I found myself in a cycle of non-union abuse: long days extended without notice, skin parts washed only once a week if we were lucky, artistic directors leading by demanding and demeaning rather than collaborating. This is just to name a few.

Non-union artists are barely protected in this profession, and I had done more than enough to “prove” my dedication to the craft and thereby “earn” protection. It was time to seek protections of my own.

I added up my EMC weeks and realized that there was no path to union membership that did not go directly through our employers. I could prove time and again, with dedication and artistry, that I was a professional actor, but until an employer decided to grant me a contract, I was basically left to fend for myself, even in union houses.

Why wasn’t I protected?

Isn’t the point of union membership to stand strong with other professionals to ensure fair pay and safe working conditions? Doesn’t a larger professional membership mean more leverage? Why should people who benefit from keeping me non-union be the judge of whether I deserve a minimum standard of working conditions?

I got my contract.

I joined the union.

I became a councilor.

That’s when I realized: We can change this.

So we did.

Last August, Bliss Griffin, Equity’s diversity and inclusion strategist, began the process of researching, developing and implementing a Diversity and Inclusion Retrofit for our union. With the blessing of our national council, she compiled feedback from hundreds of members to define the eight areas this organization must restructure to become a more diverse, inclusive and equitable Actors’ Equity Association.

One of the pillars of that retrofit is “Opening Access.”

Opening Access

How do we diversify our union if marginalized people do not have access to join? Looking at our employers’ hiring statistics, how do we create a more diverse union when our employers disproportionately offer contracts to white men? What are the barriers we are imposing upon ourselves? Over the course of nine meetings, a diverse working group of members combed through these questions. We began by asking: why should we offer more access?

·   Organizing: The more members we have, the better positioned we are as a union to advocate for stage managers and actors across the nation while reducing the ease with which producers can undercut our contracts by going non-union.

·   Financial: The more members in a union, the more dues coming in, and the better positioned we are to hire the staff necessary to protect and support our membership.

·   Education: We live in a nation that has purposefully weakened union influence and ingrained anti-union bias in much of our population to the detriment of workers everywhere. The larger our membership, the bigger the opportunity to ensure our colleagues have a strong respect for unions and a clear understanding of the importance of unions in our labor history.

·   Social Justice: With the nation in the throes of reckoning with its racist foundations and the effects of that past on our present, we recognized that we cannot continue to uphold barriers that have disproportionately negative effects on communities who have been systemically discriminated against.

·   Fairness: We, as a union, should not be in the business of preventing professionals from receiving protections.

With these ideas in mind, over more than 20 hours of meetings, we came to a series of recommendations which were then approved by our national council on May 18, including:

Open Access Immediately:

1. Council temporarily opens eligibility to join Actors’ Equity Association to any actor or stage manager who can demonstrate they have worked professionally (i.e., received compensation) for work as an actor or stage manager at a theatre within Equity’s geographical jurisdiction.

2. This eligibility will extend for two years, with application and down payment of initiation fee and any applicable reinstatement fee required by May 1, 2023.

Open Access Fairly:

1. Upon a Convention vote to revise Article 2 of the Equity Constitution restricting membership of international actors and stage managers, corresponding Bylaws (Art. 9 Sec. 9) and policies shall be immediately voided. Council refers to the International Actors Committee a charge to recommend changes in collective bargaining agreement language regarding international actors/stage managers.

2. Former members and former applicants to Equity membership (with “Out of Benefits,” “Terminated Applicant Member” or “Terminated Active Member” membership status) who apply to join Equity shall have previous initiation fee payments credited towards the amount owed for renewing membership.

3. Effective immediately, Equity will allow up to three years for full payment of initiation fees.

Our Working Group also proposed changes to Open Access Permanently, including establishment of a new gateway to Equity membership. Further details and implementation plans for those permanent changes will roll out in the months to come.

What does all this mean?

Actors’ Equity Association is committing to allow any professional stage manager or actor to join our union. We are removing the ability for employers to pick and choose who deserves fair protections under a union contract. Most importantly, we are doing so in a way that will allow us to move forward together with a more informed and activated membership.

Equity members have historically seen membership as a privilege to be earned. We see better salaries, health insurance, pension and expanded audition access as just a few of the rights that we have achieved over time: The result of hard work, determination and ability.

While these things may be true, we have all experienced how much luck and nepotism can play a large role in our ability to land jobs in our field. Knowing that there are plenty of hard-working, determined, professional stage managers and actors out there who have never hit that lucky combination, we are now deciding to stop hoarding workplace protections for ourselves. We are extending them to any who can claim a professional status.

We, in solidarity,

We, as a work force,

We, as human beings, are collectively admitting that minimum workplace protections should be extended to all of our peers and that we will no longer be the barrier that prevents them from receiving them.

We all have friends and loved ones who haven’t yet been able to secure that final contract to join Equity; I don’t believe any of us feel comfortable leaving those people less protected even as we may work side-by-side. Now they won’t have to.

If you, a professional stage manager or actor, want to join the union, come on in.

We’re stronger when we stand together.

We’re proud to stand with you.

What’s Next?

This will require more organizing. This will require our producing counterparts to commit to placing people first. More than anything, it requires all of us to stop accepting the devaluation of our fellow stage managers and actors.

Our union has a lot of work to do moving forward to ensure we are creating safe workspaces, and a safe union, for each of our members. If we want to live up to the ideals of solidarity, if we want to walk together towards a safer, fairer and stronger theatrical landscape, this is a strong first step. There are many steps yet to come. For the moment, however, I am excited to extend the rights and privileges current members enjoy to all our fellow stage managers and actors as we work to better this industry together.

Yours in solidarity,

Bear Bellinger

Central Principal Councilor

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EXCERPTS

“Equity Opens Membership to Any Actor or Stage Manager Who's Been Paid for Work in the USA” by David Gordon, 21 July 2021, TheaterMania:

Open Access will also remove any restrictions on membership for international stage managers and actors, and will also allow former members and former applications to join or rejoin, with their previous initiation fee credited toward the new fees. In addition, all members will have three years to pay off the initiation fee.

“Actors’ Equity Announces ‘Open Access’ to Membership” by American Theatre Editors, 21 July 2021, American Theatre:

Changes within the actor and stage manager union follow a year of unrest from its membership base, which rallied against inconsistent and at times frustrating COVID-19 restrictions limiting work (and resulting in difficulty for members reaching their required work weeks for health insurance) and pushed for greater racial equity within the industry. The latter point was part of an April march on Broadway, during which theatremakers protested the inaction against Broadway producer Scott Rudin as well as shortcomings by the union to protect its membership from the racism, sexism, and unsafe work environments many had experienced. As Backstage reported back in April, the fallout saw some actors withholding their dues from the union.

 

This result, as well as the general lack of work (and thus, dues payments) for Equity members over the last year, has led some on Twitter to speculating the access move may have a dual purpose: to expand access to the union and to open the door for an influx of money from a flood of new members. In an interview with Backstage, Shindle rebuffed that sentiment, saying, “I am telling you the God’s honest truth when I say that no part of this has felt like any kind of cash grab.”

 

The full fallout from this industry-shaking decision is yet to be seen, with major non-Equity markets like Chicago sure to be rocked by the decision and some actors concerned about more crowded union auditions. Importantly, many are seeing hope in exactly what Shindle pointed to in her statement: Opening access in this way has the potential to remove the hiring barrier between actors and stage managers and the protections of the union.

“Actors’ Equity Expands Eligibility for Membership In Diversity & Inclusion Effort” by Greg Evans, 21 July 2021, Deadline:

The new policy comes at a critical time for the theater industry, as theaters begin the process of reopening following both the Covid pandemic shutdown and the intense scrutiny of the industry’s barriers to inclusion and diversity that came in the wake of last summer’s Black Lives Matter nationwide protests.

“EXCLUSIVE: Joining Actors’ Equity Is About to Get Easier” by Diep Tran 21 July 2021, Backstage:

“We’ve spent a lot of time over the last several years doing diversity and inclusion studies and analyzing contract data, we know that the industry is overwhelmingly white, disappointingly so,” says [Equity president Kate] Shindle. “And we know that the hiring practices of our employers provide barriers to access for people with marginalized identities. So when we put that all together—through a process that was led by a working group, and our diversity and inclusion strategist—Open Access was born out of that: Ways for people to join the union without having to be hired to work on an Equity contract first.” Shindle sees Open Access as a way of streamlining membership, especially because many Equity employers tend to only hire Equity actors, so it posed an additional hurdle for nonunion actors.

“Actors Equity Expands Access And There Are Plenty Of Opinions,” n.d., The Broadway Blog:

[After reporting the basics of the Equity announcement, The Broadway Blog published several Tweets from “theater professionals.”]

You get a card and you get a card! #comedy #theatre #musictheatre #actor  —Katie Claire

 

Open Membership to #ActorsEquity is going to strengthen our union, solidify our health & pension and make us a more equitable workforce.

 

Solidarity is a beautiful thing.  —Nick Westrate

 

Just a friendly reminder, union status does not equal talent. #actorsequity #AEA  —T.J. Newton

 

When I was a theatre student, we were taught not to rush to get your equity card as it would limit your job prospects. That implied that until we’d spent 3+ years building our resume we were expected to work in houses with minimal regulation, poor pay, and no accountability.

 

The changes announced by #actorsequity mean that they can finally act like a TRUE UNION for theatre artists. Representation should not require years of work experience. Worker representation is a right.  —MissMicae

 

I just saw #ActorsEquity’s news about membership! I’m crying! (Happy tears!) Lost my Equity status years ago when I couldn’t afford the initiation fee & though I’ve worked so often since then, I’ve never had an Equity job so I could never get back in the union. Now I can!?!?  —Tzena

 

If #actorsequity has open access for the next two years, what’s the policy on current members rescinding their member status to do well-paying nonunion work and rejoining in 18 months?  —Ryan DeNardo 

[I interrupted the publication of my travel journal for my 1982 trip to Israel and Egypt to cover this timely and important announcement from Actors’ Equity.  “Travel Journal: Israel & Egypt, 1982 – Part 5,” was posted on 23 July, and I will post Part 6, the final installment for the Israeli portion of the trip, on Monday, 2 August.

[If you haven’t been keeping up with the chronicle of my journey, this would be a good time to go back and pick up the first five sections.  Parts 1-4 were posted on 11, 14, 17, and 20 July.

[Part 6 covers our visit to the Old City of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, sites in the Negev Desert, and my departure for Cairo, Egypt.  Barring another interruption of the series, I expect to publish the remainder of the journal installments on the three-day schedule with which I started.  (That means that Part 7, the start of my travel through Egypt, will appear on Thursday, 5 August.)]