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Equity votes against special seat for disabled actors

Published Tuesday 20 May 2008 at 18:25 by Lalayn Baluch

Equity ARC: Performers with disabilities will not receive special representation within Equity, after the union rejected their proposal for a dedicated seat on council.

A motion calling for a referendum, which would allow a new specialist position to be set up within the organisation, was defeated by 14 votes during the trade body’s annual representative conference.

Speaking on behalf of Equity’s ruling council, singers’ representative Dennis S Ray opposed the proposal. He said: “Equity as an organisation has always steadfastly complied with all the legal requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. Equity, where possible, has always made every endeavour to go the extra mile, not only towards disabled members, but also for non-members of Equity where appropriate. As far as can be remembered, council has always had a disabled councillor on the council.”

According to Ray, creating the additional seat would be an unnecessary cost and unfair to other groups.

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