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Wednesday, April 05, 2023
Actors’ Equity National Council authorizes strike if tour deal cannot be met
Broadway News: On April 3, the National Council of Actors’ Equity Association authorized the union’s executive director and lead negotiator, Al Vincent, Jr., to call a strike on all Broadway League tours should he deem it appropriate.
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2 comments:
The recent news that the Actors' Equity National Council has authorized a strike if a tour deal cannot be met highlights the ongoing struggles that performers face in the entertainment industry. While the pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, the issues that underlie them are longstanding and reflect larger systemic problems within the industry.
As someone who loves theater and values the contributions that performers make to our culture, I am deeply sympathetic to the concerns being raised by Actors' Equity. From unfair pay and inadequate benefits to discrimination and harassment, performers face a range of challenges that can make it difficult to pursue their craft and make a living.
While a strike would undoubtedly be disruptive to the industry, it's important to recognize that it's often the only way that performers can leverage their collective power to demand better treatment and fair compensation. As consumers of theater and supporters of the arts, we have a responsibility to stand with performers and advocate for their rights and well-being.
In the changing and uncertain landscape of the theater industry and the world as a whole, I think it’s really important that workers are treated fairly and have access to good wages, safe working conditions, and healthy lifestyles. However, if we don’t fight for those things, they could very easily fall away. I am very glad that Actor’s Equity Association is fighting for the rights of their members and glad that they are continuously pushing for change. I hope that this does not have to come to a strike. While negotiations are often difficult, this is one of the most tense negotiations I’ve seen and having the possibility of a strike is scary. Having the industry shut down would be devastating for everyone involved, especially all of the artists who these negotiations are happening for but not getting a fair deal would be even worse. I hope AEA can find a solution that helps maintain the rights and wages of artists.
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