Personal Managers Association
NB these are update for the Touring productions, not the West End from Equity.
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Six – I’ve asked for an extension until tomorrow, to see if we can get any further movement from KWP, who I should be speaking with later. The offer exceeds the minimum terms of the Equity/SOLT variation agreement, but doesn’t guarantee payments during the suspension for all – although they have an scheme to support those who fall through the gaps of the govt scheme.
Mama Mia tour – I’ve sent the below email to our Deps and others – I hope that helps, but any questions, give me a call.
“Thanks for this. The force majeure in the contract makes it pretty clear that no payments are due in the event that an engagement is suspended for reasons beyond the control of the producer – in effect if suspension without any pay continued for a period of two weeks or more, the contract would effectively end through frustration with no further payments due. Your contract does not incorporate the terms of the Equity/UK Theatre, but we have been working hard over the past 4 or 5 weeks to get UK Theatre to agree to terms that in the first instance gives our members the best chance of staying under contract and where that is not possible to get notice periods paid, where no payments are due. Wherever we can we have worked hard to get producers using non-union agreements to move to that position as an ‘industry standard’ and indeed despite NGM not being UK Theatre members and issuing Equity contracts, they have recognised in their letter, this work that Equity has been undertaking.
The next phase of negotiations is nearing conclusion, but is likely to mirror the deal achieved in the West End – it’s slightly more complex and is taking slightly longer because there are more variables with touring productions, such as the availability of venues. The deal in the West has effectively two options – the first of which is to terminate the contract without further payments, subject to the producer having met the two and a half weeks pay over the past 4 weeks.
I have spoken with NGM about trying to keep members under contract, but it has become clear that theatres are unlikely to re-open by the time your contract is due to end in August, so they have called notice and will look to issue letters of intent for the next part of the tour.
The payment schedule offered exceeds that, which was due under contract. It also compares favourably to the deals achieved elsewhere when contracts have been terminated. Of course, none of replaces the fact that work has been cancelled and our members have lost their work as a consequence of theatre closures relating to Covid-19. Equity’s approach has been to move the industry to recognise the hardship caused by the loss of work, where members cannot be paid under contract, alongside lobbying the government hard to ensure our members can benefit from the self employed income protection scheme, which is due to be paid in June.