Courtesy of Mish.
In what may be a first (otherwise an extreme rarity), a substantial force within a union has mobilized against a pay hike to $9.00 per hour from essentially nothing.
“Nothing” you say? Yes, it happens in small non-profit theaters that pay aspiring actors $7 to $15 per performance. Rehearsal time does not count.
Curiously, but rightfully so, the aspiring actors realize there will be no work at all if they have to get paid $9.00 an hour for acting and rehearsals.
Reader Richard, who works in the film industry writes …
Hi Mish
Actor Equity (the union of stage actors) wants to force small theaters in Los Angeles “to pay the legally mandated minimum wage.” There is no doubt this move will decimate local theater and goes against the vast majority of their LA member’s wishes.
We have a few theater districts in the city which have sprouted restaurants that depend on the theater traffic to survive. Whole areas such as North Hollywood have transformed themselves as the NoHo Arts District [a play off the SoHo Arts District in New York City] all because of the theaters in the area.
Many actors have vowed to withdraw from the union. I myself work almost exclusively in the film and television these days, but I started my career in theater and benefited from the contracts negotiated by Actors Equity.
But Los Angeles theater is a completely different animal from New York theater and includes many actor run companies with national and international reputations. The economics of LA theater just do not support the model Actors Equity wants to foist on the theater community and will result in the closing of dozens of very well regarded theaters.
Anyway I thought it was an interesting twist on unions. Actors Equity has a vote is planned for March 25th but the result is only advisory and the union leadership will them do what they want.
Hope you are well. Keep up the good work.
Cheers, …
