Paul W Fleming: Subsidised theatres lag behind on fair pay

In an opening speech that covered issues from artificial intelligence to austerity "bulldozing" arts funding, Fleming vowed that Equity would not compromise on its demands for fair pay – neither in theatre nor on screen. 

"Our members will not wait for global stability that will not come, a government strategy that doesn’t exist to save them," the recently re-elected general secretary said, referring to its TV and film standards.

"Our claims stand, tariff or no tariff, inflation high or low," he said, adding: "The line is the same for subsidised producers. It cannot be right that while our independent theatre agreement has beaten inflation for a decade, that subsidised pay has fallen behind. 

"Why is a choreographer with project funding paid more in real terms now than 10 years ago, but the same is not true of the major subsidised houses in every nation and region?"

In early 2024, Equity and the Independent Theatre Council (which represents 450 venues both commercial and subsidised) agreed a 5% rise every year to minimum and daily rates of pay for performers, stage managers and choreographers between April 2024 and April 2027. 

Fleming acknowledged that theatres had suffered from significant cuts to their budgets, but claimed that "the biggest players" in the sector "have looked in the wrong place for savings". 

"Over the course of this year we will set out a claim that will see pay restored to 2018 levels – a record high in subsidised theatre. 

"The message to the bosses is clear: we’re not waiting any more," he said.

Full coverage of the conference will run in next week’s print edition of The Stage.