Actors demand Equity rejects higher pay for more West End performances

Published Tuesday 20 May 2008 at 18:35 by Lalayn Baluch

Equity ARC: Actors have called on Equity to reject any offers by London theatre producers to increase the minimum wage for West End casts in return for additional performances.

They warn employers might try and raise the number of shows staged on a weekly basis to 12 - an increase of four on the existing deal - as a way of conceding to the 44% salary hike that the union is campaigning for.

It is understood that an earlier wage increase offer by the Society of London Theatre included this demand from producers. It was unanimously rejected by West End casts, and was subsequently dropped from negotiations.

But veteran actor Nicholas Smith believes the aim might be resurrected as a bargaining tool. He said: “We must not allow them to resuscitate this idea that for increased wages, we give a vastly increased set of performances. It must be sticking point in our negotiations.”

A motion calling on Equity to reject an increase of London productions was passed unanimously by the union at its annual representative conference.

Equity has been campaigning for a wage hike on the behalf of West End actors for the past 12 months. In March this year, London cast members voted “overwhelmingly” to turn down a “best offer” from the SOLT, which failed to meet demands to increase salaries from £400 to £550.

Equity president Harry Landis has reiterated his claim that performers would be willing to take industrial action to get an improved deal.