Equity votes against special seat for disabled actors
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.
Also from The Stage
- Fund legal action against venues ignoring DDA, say disabled members
- Court case to make venues give free seats to all carers
- Case made for wider disabled access and employment rights
- Guide casts light on disabled under-representation
- BBC pledges to consider disabled actors for all roles
- SBC and National join bid to boost arts' disabled workers
- Open the Door Campaign to further disabled access to theatres
- Letters: Access all areas
- Letters: Wheelchair access needs Shawing up
- Achieving better theatres today
- TV Today: Disabled actors
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