Models to join Equity

Published Thursday 13 December 2007 at 11:05 by Lalayn Baluch

Equity has made the “historic” and controversial decision to represent catwalk and photographic models, in a move that sees the union opening up its membership to a new section of the entertainment industry.

The trade union is in talks with the British Fashion Council to establish “standards of decency” that could be used throughout the industry, and will soon launch a campaign at fashion shows to encourage models, who currently have no independent representation, to join the organisation.

While Equity membership numbers have generally risen over the last few years - with levels in 2005 hitting their highest point since 1995 - a recent increase in minimum subscription rates to £100 preceded a drop of more than 500 members last year. But the trade union has emphasised that the policy change is not an attempt to boost membership levels and income from subscriptions.

Equity spokesman Martin Brown told The Stage: “This is not a recruiting drive. We haven’t opened up membership to Equity in order to increase our member-ship. We’ve opened it up to models solely because they approached us and we recognised they were a vulnerable group of workers who needed representation.”

According to Brown, the decision by Equity’s ruling council to open membership up to models was “almost unanimous”. However, it has not been popular with all. Equity councillor Barbara Hyslop said she was concerned that models will “be able to vote on issues that they know nothing about”.

She added that models might not benefit from joining. The union’s minimum wage could be used to drive down pay for lesser known models, who earned more than the Equity basic rates, said Hyslop.

The move comes after a group of models, some of whom Equity says are “very significant in the public eye”, approached the trade union outlining their need for a representative voice to lobby for better working conditions and to speak out against the ‘size zero’ trend.

Brown explained: “We were approached by models earlier this year, who said they have no say in the industry, that they get money from the agent without being told what each job is worth. They are often working long hours without any agreement on what those hours will be, and are frequently working without proper breaks and often without food.”

During the talks with Equity, the models spoke out against the treatment they face at fashion shows and photographic shoots. One told how his scalp bled after having large quantities of peroxide put on his head, while another complained of an extreme allergic reaction after having her body covered in car paint. Many also complained that they were forced into nude work.

Brown added: “They are not coming to us saying, ‘Equity please help us’, they are saying, ‘Equity, we want you to enable us to have a voice’. They want to resolve their own problems, they want to take control of their working life through Equity, and that is absolutely marvellous.”

The policy change follows news revealed by The Stage earlier this year, that the organisation was also investigating the possibility of extending membership to children under the age of 14.