Joining Process Update

We've been talking about this for a while now, but work on a new joining structure for Equity is now complete. At the final in-person meeting of the 2009-12 Council, the necessary bylaw changes were implemented and the amendment details will be circulated to the membership within the next two months. The changes are consistent with the interim material reported earlier and currently confined to the theatre jurisdiction. 

In a nutshell, we will be moving from a system that prioritises immediate joining, to one that prioritises informed joining.

Going forward, the default approach for non-members working in theatre in their first contracts will be to do initial contracts on a permit basis. This will offer the chance to build work experience, career momentum, and familiarity with Equity agreements, while preserving the opportunity to work flexibly in the earliest stages of a career. Non-members will still be able to join if they wish, but only upon application, and will not automatically gain membership simply by virtue of having signed a contract. Where apprenticeships exist, how apprentice credits are accumulated for work will not change.  

These changes replace the existing provisional, probationary, and child probationary memberships. Although borrowing many of the same terms as these legacy options, and building on the same impetus that drove their creation in the first place (informed joining, flexibility), the permit approach is different in that no membership status (including benefits and protections) is conferred until a joining decision is made.

Of course, this opportunity to work on a permit basis is not open-ended, and will be limited to prevent repeated engagements as a non-member. In order to ensure no financial advantage for permit engagement, the usual source deductions will be made, and will serve as contributions against the eventual joining fee. This has the corollary benefit of progressively lowering the barrier to joining over the span of several permit engagements. Permittees, as non-members, will not have access to the same suite of benefits that members do. Protections will be limited to those specifically germane to an individual engagement contract, and will terminate with the end of the contract.

Equity will retain the right to compel joining in some circumstances: where an "early stages" exemption would not be applicable (even if the non-member is new to CAEA); where reciprocal agreements require it; and for long running productions, where working without a full suite of protections would not be something that Equity is willing to contemplate.

Access to membership for young performers will also change. Previously, regardless of work experience and work history, performers under the age of 16 years could not join. Equity now understands that this age barrier, while well-intentioned, is no longer defensible from several perspectives, including non-discrimination. Again, application must be made to Equity in order to join. Obviously, we are still not interested in encouraging premature joining; it benefits no one. We plan to ensure particularly well-informed and carefully-made decisions for young performers

Joining requirements for stage managers working in theatre remain similar to those previously in effect, with a minimum number of experience credits required before an application to join may be submitted. However, some structural changes have been made to bring the mechanics of the two joining streams into sync, to simplify administration, and to avoid having to explain two very similar, but confusingly different processes. Apprenticeship for both performers and stage managers will be retained to support those currently working toward membership in that way, and any apprenticeships credits that have been accumulated will be counted towards membership under the new requirements.

It has taken a long time to work out all the details on this, and Council will be monitoring the situation to ensure the intended results. 

Staff will be revising joining information documents over the next few months, to bring them up to date. In the interim, if you or others have questions about the new arrangements, the best resource is the staff at either Equity office. We are confident that this new approach will lead to a stronger membership, and a stronger Equity for the future.