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

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

Hi. 

I would like to speak in favour of the Dues increase. I know, I know, believe me, I know. I know all the arguments for and against… and I can’t afford it either. However, after more than 14 years, I think it is about time. I believe they should have been raised every year in conjunction with the cost of living. I believe that is how it should be from here on.

I want you to understand where I am coming from, so let me tell you about me over the past couple of years… I haven’t worked, much. Sometimes I am in arrears and don’t always know from where the money will come from to pay my dues. My wife and I have a seven year old. Alison works as a Designer, a Stage Manager, and a general all-around technician (she has, of course, a Masters in Acting). That’s our life. Day to day, week to week, and month to month. It’s a struggle… We aren’t alone, this is nothing new…for too many of us.

I am not whining or complaining. We chose this career path, and there was more than enough evidence that it would be, to put it mildly, Hard. Yet, my dues are the first thing I pay… when I get money. Here’s why: for all of us.

I want us to be strong, as individuals and as a group within our society.

To be strong we need a working organisation; and it costs money run an office, to lobby, to negotiate with producers, to administer an association with 6000 members and handle many thousands of contracts and other documents each year, to have a national presence. That means we need to spend money. It can’t be the same amount we were spending 14 years ago. Every year prices go up… for everyone, not just us. If we don’t raise dues what will be the cost?

Equity's responsibility is response-ability: the consistent capacity to act effectively on our behalf. They can't do that without our help; that's our responsibility. Please support your association.

Cheers,

John O’Keefe
Member, Atlantic

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

I write to you here as an elected councilor of Canadian Actors Equity, as a member of Equity’s Finance Review Committee, and as an individual member of this association. I will be blunt: Equity needs to increase its membership dues. It needs to do this in order to continue its core service and to ensure that its basic functionality as an association stays strong into the future. It needs your help to do this.

“What has Equity done for us lately?” I hear that a lot from CAEA members. My answer is always the same: Quite a lot, actually. And it has done so with increasingly limited resources. Prior to becoming an Equity councilor I always wondered whether Equity was spending our money prudently and in the best interests of its members. I still hear that question now from other members. Having spent the last five years on CPAG and Equity Council I can tell you that Equity takes the matter of fiscal responsibility very seriously. And Equity does have the best interest of ALL of its members in any decision that it makes.

As individual members it is easy to forget all the labour gains that Equity has successfully fought for over the years. Take a moment to think about what your pay, working conditions, and the general state of theatre would be without those gains. What has Equity done for me as an individual member? Lots! Equity responded quickly to my concerns regarding the challenges of creating of Indie theatre. Equity created an extensive member survey followed by a new series of updated indie contracts that go a long way to address challenges faced by small scale theatre in this country.

Equity recently introduced a Service Standards protocol to improve staff service. It has streamlined and improved member communications. It has significantly cut Council and staff spending. What can Equity do for its members in the future? How about a website upgrade? Less paperwork? More audition initiatives? All of these things cost money and we haven’t had a dues increase since the late nineties. So we now turn to you. Your association needs you now more than ever. Please vote yes on the referendum.

Mark Brownell

National Councilor for Ontario

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

One of the greatest joys of being involved in the theatre is the sense of collaboration and community. We become fast friends as we go through the process of creating theatre, and we are constantly reminded that we cannot do it alone – we are always beholden to our fellow performers, our crew, our creative team, our stage manager, our audience. That sense of togetherness and interconnectivity is tangibly manifested in the work of CAEA.

This is a huge country and each theatre centre has its unique strengths and challenges and CAEA helps to give a sense of national consciousness. As a national whole, we carry more clout as a professional association, can help effect policy-makers and funding agencies, promote the concerns of theatre constituents, and help foster a sense of group.

We are not alone in the increasingly difficult struggle to produce meaningful work, we have a collective voice in our continuing fight for respect and support and we have a central support system to ensure fair, and equitable treatment by our engagers. This united front cannot be everything for everybody, but tries to prioritize the desires of the membership under the guidance of Council.

These collective desires require resources.

Staff and Council have stretched the Association's resources as far as they will go, because it is understood that many members cannot make anything that resembles a living from the venues under CAEA’s jurisdiction, and it is also understood that we are operating in an industry always hungry for money. There is no more fat to cut. Annual membership dues and working dues (our only major source of income) have remained frozen for the past 14 years. Expenses have risen – this has put tremendous pressure on the Association’s healthy financial picture.

The proposed dues increase has been kept to a bare minimum and warrants your approval because I know that you, like I, value a strong national voice and a valid national presence. My concern is that if the dues increase does not pass with the rigorous ⅔ approval rate required, that present services will have to be cut – including some hard fought for services, like the Western Office!

David Adams
Member, BC/Yukon

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

Why a dues increase?

We need one. Has Equity cut costs? Yes it has. Will we continue to find ways to cut costs? I assure you that I, and others on Council are pushing for them. Yes, we will. Are you satisfied with the service you receive from Equity? I’d be surprised to hear you are, considering the earful of frustration I’ve listened to over the years.

I’m here to tell you there have been major changes to the mindset running Equity. If you haven’t already noticed, there are some new rules and genuine flexibility going on as we contemplate all this. There is also a commitment to greater transparency and less paternalism; the challenge we now face is to service our almost 6,000 strong membership with enough staff to deal with daily business as well as the never ending renegotiating of the various agreements staggered strategically to ideally allow one agreement’s attention at a time.

After looking at various scenarios, we as a Council have decided to ask for an increase of $45 a year in basic dues (so, $90 every six months, instead of the current $67.50), and a 0.25 percent increase in working dues. There will be no other increases for the next six years at the very least, and if any may be needed then, or even at a later date, we will go to you the members first for another vote before we can implement anything at all. Like we are doing here.

At the core of all of this is this: do you want a strong association representing and serving you? We need a two-thirds majority in this vote to move ahead. A simple majority like we received in the last dues referendum is not sufficient. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you not only vote yes, but that you also help convince others to do the same.

Please take the time to look at the issues and make an informed decision. I am confident you will reach the same conclusion I have and vote yes. Otherwise, trust me and vote yes anyway.

Thanking you for your attention.

In Solidarity,

Howard Rosenstein

National Councilor for Quebec

Dues Referendum 2014 - guest post

From Stats Can: "In the past decade, the average price for food staples has risen. From 1999 to 2009, the average price of a loaf of bread has increased from $1.31 to $2.50, a dozen eggs from $1.77 to $2.61, 454 grams of butter from $3.01 to $4.35, a litre of partly skimmed milk from $1.41 to $2.11 and 1 kg of ground beef from $3.90 to $7.02."

Are you paying the same amount for rent, utilities, transit, phone, cosmetics, gym membership, etc as you did in 1999? How can any Equity card-carrying member expect their Association to continue operating our "business of show" at a loss?  I run my own gardening business when I'm not onstage, and much as I hate to raise my fees, I must, if I want to maintain a high standard of service to my clients. Revenue Canada wouldn't tolerate a business running at a loss for long. 

I fully support increasing our dues rate and keeping CAEA operational at the high standard of service we have come to expect, and indeed, need.  CAEA has had my back in a number of disputes with producers and I hate to imagine the dark days of no regulation. I ask you to keep us strong and united by keeping our professional Association in good business stead.

Paula Wolfson
Member, Ontario