The Stage

Impending EU law spurring CIU to grant equal rights to women

Published Tuesday 14 February 2006 at 11:35

Light entertainment’s leading employer, the Club and Institute Union, could finally win its long-standing battle to allow equal rights to female members when a new European directive comes into force.

Council directive 2004/113/EC, which bans clubs which admit both men and women from discriminating against one sex, will become law in all 25 EU states from December 2007. The legislation is expected to make it impossible for the CIU to retain its much criticised rule 12e), which prevents women applying for the pass card that provides automatic entry to all of the organisation’s estimated 2,500 sites.

General secretary Kevin Smyth disclosed that the threat of the directive will prompt renewed efforts to overturn the rule at this year’s April conference.

Said Smyth: “We are currently trying to obtain more information about this directive but, assuming it comes into force, our plan is for our NEC to propose at our conference that women are granted the pass-card and full and equal membership rights for all. It is much better for us to do this ourselves than to be compelled by law, although our clubs are law-abiding and would obey the law.”

The issue has important implications for variety performers and musicians. Despite shrinking membership, the CIU remains the largest single component of the 5,000 strong Committee of Registered Clubs’ Associations and the strongest force in British clubland.

Women comprise roughly a quarter of the CIU’s total membership and could provide a vital boost to earnings from pass card sales. This in turn is expected to generate more money for entertainment budgets and boost club audiences as more members visit neighbouring premises.

Leading backer of reform John Bacon, who was twice defeated in his battle for the presidency of the organisation, has also been an outspoken supporter of efforts to develop a more co-ordinated entertainment strategy for the CIU. Last year he proposed the development of a national policy to ensure clubs had greater control over the quality of acts hired.

However his efforts and those of his allies to overturn rule 12e) have failed to win the required majority. To date, more than 52% of clubs allow women equal rights in their own premises. Still more have supported overturning the pass card ban, with one vote failing by just 0.4%. However a significant minority remains opposed, especially in county Durham, which remains the largest branch area.

The government will be publishing a Green Paper later this year which will bring into law the directive implementing the principle of equal access to goods and services to the public regardless of gender. Private clubs were exempt previously and it remains likely that single sex clubs such as the Garrick will not be affected by the changes.

Bacon told The Stage: “The EU has put to shame British parliamentarians who knew that this inequality has existed for 30 years.”