Dues Referendum 2014 - a personal note

I've been very fortunate in my career…

There was the week when all the paycheques were "locked in the office safe" and nobody knew the combination; the time when the engager forgot that it was payday, and could not be reached; and the show when paycheques were distributed unsigned.

There was the added performance we all found out about with only two hours notice; the day a debt-collection bailiff sealed the theatre and seized the contents, including all our personal belongings; and the GM who informed me that it was "company policy" not to pay contractually-required overtime to their stage managers.

There was the producer who fired me the week before I started work, because I had the audacity to stand up for the terms of my contract; the PM who told me that meal break requirements did not apply to stage managers; and the company that had still not reimbursed my petty cash expenses a full month after the contract ended.

What's so fortunate about all that? It only took a phone call to Equity solve the problem.

I and my fellow company members could have fought any of these battles as individuals, but I'm very grateful that we didn't have to. And I'm equally grateful for the good fortune of having the vast majority of things go right, week in and week out. I can thank Equity for both. I have done a heck of a lot better over the years with their help, than I ever would have without it. 

Even as Council President, I will tell you that Equity is not always perfect, and there is always room for improvement. The past three years have seen quite a few major "upgrades" in your association, and Council hope to bring in even more. But, further improvement takes resources. And that is where you come in…

Equity has always had my back, and it has yours. If you want to keep Equity strong, and see it continue to improve, please support the dues increase.

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

Our organization is only as strong as we make it.

As one of 6000 members of Canadian Actors Equity who works hard on every contract I manage to get, and for every dollar I earn, I know I am not alone in wanting the best value for my money. I, too, will have a hard time budgeting to pay an additional $45 per year, and parting with an extra 0.25%, in dues, from the income I do earn. But, I also know that if we Equity members continue to pay only $135 in dues, we are wasting our money: that sum is simply no longer enough. We’ve already had cuts to professional development programs, and response time at Equity offices is lagging from a bare bones staff – what’s next on the chopping block? Equity negotiates annual increases to our minimum fees roughly in keeping inflation – the cost of living. I think it’s only fair that we respond in kind, to have our dues keep up with inflation – the cost of doing business. In particular given that the business in question is that of protecting our best interests – our careers. 

My vote since the last dues referendum hasn’t changed. Two years ago, just knowing that the cost of dues hadn’t increased in over a decade was enough justification for me. (Is there anything else that hasn’t increased in price since the mid-90’s?) Nonetheless, I have been very interested to see our council’s response to the results over the past two years – and it’s clear that they’ve been listening to us, and what we need from our organization. At the dues referendum info session I was able to attend, I heard several fantastic opportunities for Equity to invest in increasing the efficiency of resources – from online dues payment, to electronic contracts, to improved communication with not only existing, but also prospective, members. I also heard that streamlining and improving efficiency costs money. These opportunities, and many more, are ones that I would love to have available to me, and my colleagues – and I’m willing to invest the extra 12 cents a day to make them happen. The future of Equity depends on it – our Association is only as strong as we make it.

Melania Radelicki

Member, Stage Management

Dues Referendum 2014 - Burma-Shave (say what?!)

Yeah or nay,

Have your say…

Voting closes,

A week today!

(With a tip of the hat to Burma-Shave)


The only vote that doesn't count is the one you don't cast. If you haven't already done so, grab your ballot sheet and vote now - it'll take you about two minutes, tops.

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

I've been a proud member of Equity for almost 50 years, including 20 years as an elected representative on both the West Coast Advisory and National Council. Thirteen years after I last stepped off Council, I ran again in the 2012 election because I wanted to work on improving communications. Since my re-election, many Council meetings have dealt with communication: what we’re doing, what we wish we were doing, how we could clarify, simplify, reach out. Staff and Councillors have many ideas for improvement – but implementing them will cost money. I can’t think of a thing that doesn’t cost more now than it did 14 years ago, but Equity hasn’t increased member dues since I left Council in 1999! 

Council and staff have spent countless hours reviewing what we do and how we do it. We’ve done everything we can to trim costs without cutting deeply into core services. We've listened to the message sent two years ago when the dues increase failed to pass. We’ve asked and answered tough questions. I am confident that the dues increase is necessary for Equity to become the organization we all want it to be. Even though I personally may not need all the services Equity provides, someone else in the association does; CAEA was created to give strength to the weakest of us, so that as a profession we are strengthened and able to create the best Canadian live performance we can. I hope this is a view that will be shared by two thirds of the voters in the dues referendum.

Last Monday, a lively group of members came out to the Vancouver Membership Forum despite the cold to discuss the dues increase with our Executive Director, Arden Ryshpan and Council President, Allan Teichman. The discussion was multi-faceted and revealing. Everyone was passionate and committed. We didn’t agree on everything, but the respect in the room was palpable, as was the quality of the listening and openness within the group. We were talking about something very important to us all, and we opened our hearts. I felt the same pride I had when I joined my professional association so many years ago.

At the Forum, we talked a lot about how to engage more of members in the discussion and the vote. I was saddened to learn that fewer than 50% of the membership voted in the last dues referendum – a lower turnout than the pitiful 61% of Canadians who voted in the last general election. I was inspired by the ideas and energy of the group around me – determined to get out the vote and engage more of us in improving our association. I hope that spirit of engagement spreads far and wide to those unable to attend an in-person discussion. Please take the time to read the materials, ask questions, give feedback, and VOTE! Let’s set a new standard for voter turnout and launch Equity into the next exciting stage in our journey.


Jane Heyman
Councillor, BC/Yukon

Referendum Fast Fact - How many votes are needed?

In order for the referendum to pass, the proposal must be approved by a two-thirds majority of all votes cast. CAEA is the only organisation of its type that we know of with such a high approval threshold for changes to the dues. With that kind of bar to clear, your vote counts all the more.

It’s your association – please support Equity, so Equity can continue to support you.

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

When I started with CAEA in 2005, I never gave any thought to the privileges that had been earned by the hard work of our association. Things like fair contracts, scheduled breaks, safe working conditions and insurance, I assumed were simply deserved and therefore provided. I had to ask what an RRSP contribution was (though, I've never been on the infamous 'list').

In 2010, I decided that I wanted a better understanding of what Equity was all about. I joined the Council Policy Advisory Group and marveled at the commitment, talent, care and foresight with which our organisation was being governed.

This country is huge and the number of approaches to creating our art is limited only by our imaginations. Understanding that our association is, simply that, 'ours' was incredibly empowering. The Indie 2.0 Agreement and the new Collective Agreement are two of the many testaments to the fact that our opinions matter and can make a difference - from coast to coast to coast. 

These changes take time. Undoubtedly. Personally, I would rather see it done with care and consideration - correctly and with sensitivity to how disparate our theatre landscape can be. 

I would like to tip my toque to our members across the country who have gathered information, researched, polled and laboured to ensure that we can adapt, grow and flourish.

Aaron Hursh
Member, Saskatchewan

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

It is a century since a group of actors banded together to form Equity (the name suggested by a Canadian) in NYC. As we contemplate the upcoming CAEA dues referendum, I find myself thinking on how lucky I have been to enjoy the support, protection, working condition advances and artist solidarity that my membership in CAEA has offered me over my 40 years' involvement within it.

I have also have been fortunate to have served on Council and the Executive in the past. I know how much the staff and Council does on members' behalf with very sparse resources. Whenever Council and staff do a stand up job in engaging us in the governance of our association, as they are doing now with the upcoming dues referendum, they deserve our support and serious consideration.

As some of you may recall...I spoke against the last referendum because I felt we, the members, were not engaged in its design enough (I felt member communications from CAEA were not great) and because it only contemplated a raise in one aspect of dues income. I felt this was inherently unfair to some CAEA members.

I feel the opposite on both issues during this current referendum. It is clearly being well communicated...our input is being sought thoroughly, universally and constantly throughout the process. Dues increases are being sought in both basic and working dues. It is a balanced and well considered request.

There is no doubt that the increase is needed if that which was started in 1913 is to continue to serve us, the whole membership of CAEA, in 2014 and beyond. I will vote yes. Please consider doing so too.

David Ferry
Member, Ontario