Press release from MEAA
Actors will not work on foreign television commercials shot in Australia from Friday unless an employment agreement is reached between Actors’ Equity and the Screen Producers’ Association of Australia (SPAA).
In June, SPAA told Actors’ Equity it was terminating the existing Offshore Commercials Agreement, effective from Friday, August 7.
SPAA met with Actors’ Equity for the first time last week and agreed to reconsider its decision not to negotiate a replacement. However, just days later SPAA said it was only willing to re-negotiate some conditions, meaning the rest – including all clauses relating to how much a performer should expect to be paid – would be scrapped.
In a letter sent Friday, July 31, SPAA executive director Geoff Brown advised: “SPAA is authorised by its members to enter into discussions with regard to the broad employment conditions for Offshore Commercials on the understanding that fees and usage will not be included. We note your concessions on edits and campaigns but we believe that this does not provide sufficient flexibility.”
Equity’s national director, Simon Whipp, said: “Our members have made it very clear that when working on offshore commercials they want to be protected by a fair agreement as they are in film, television, theatre, dance and other areas of advertising production … An agreement that leaves out major clauses like fees, would not be fair for performers.”
In a recent ballot, 98 per cent of Actors’ Equity members voted in favour of industrial action from Friday if a new Offshore Commercials Agreement is not reached with SPAA.
“We remain committed to achieving an agreement but the August 7 deadline imposed by SPAA and their refusal to enter fair negotiations is making that very difficult,” Mr Whipp said.