Adrian Kane, National Secretary of Irish services union SIPTU, addressed Equity Conference on Saturday afternoon bringing a message of solidarity to delegates. His speech coincided with a new joint statement from SIPTU-affiliate Irish Equity and Equity UK on the issue of performers’ rights and pay in film and TV, standing against the undercutting of rates and agreements in film, TV and streaming.
“You meet in Derry Guildhall, which was the venue for the inaugural performance of the Brian Friel play, Translations, which spoke truth to power” Adrian told delegates. Bringing a message of solidarity from Ireland’s largest trade union, which counts historical giants James Connolly and Jim Larkin among its founders, Adrian cautioned: “these are of course turbulent times.”
“We have always presumed that revolutions are the preserve of the left, but regretfully successful revolutions recently have come from the right”, said Adrian. He spoke passionately about the conflict in Gaza, saying “the continuing genocide against the Palestinian people will be a stain on the West. Our job in the TU movement is to keep that most important of ideals alive: hope.”
Adrian recognised the resistance and solidarity role that the artistic community can and does play. “In Ireland we take pride in the arts, the soft power it holds,” he said. “But for those trying to make a living in the arts, it is anything but romantic. It doesn’t have to be exploitative. To paraphrase the late Samuel Beckett: I can’t go on, but of course we must go on. We must go out and organise.”
Joint statement Equity UK – Irish Equity
May 2025
Equity UK and Irish Equity have enjoyed a long history of collaboration and solidarity. Like the UK, the Irish Republic has seen a growth in its Film, TV and Streaming industry, and the two Unions have been working closely to ensure that both sets of members are contracted under Union collective agreements when working in the Republic.
Unfortunately, we have seen UK Producers/broadcasters and Streamers avail themselves of the 481-tax relief scheme in the Republic, set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) or Direct Activity Companies (DAC) as the contracting entity, and engaging Irish local talent either on buy-out contracts or so called ‘equivalent’ contracts to the UK Agreements.
All too often, an inequitable position then arises with Irish talent being engaged on such contracts and UK talent being engaged under an Equity UK collective agreement. Not only is this grossly unfair to Irish talent, it is an abuse by productions who are in receipt of Irish taxpayers’ money.
A danger for Producers offering buy-out contracts is that the Producer may be in breach of EU/Irish legislation, and they could open themselves up to a challenge from the Irish Government and/or the EU as the contracts are not compliant with the law.
More importantly, for Producers and inward investors into the Republic of Ireland, all contracts and assignment of rights must comply with the EU directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market which requires that performers receive proportionate remuneration for the use of their work. Failure to provide adequately for this provision could see producers in breach of both EU and Irish domestic legislation.
Solidarity between Irish and UK Equity is stronger than ever, and we commit to ourselves to tackling this situation together as sister Unions and members of the Federation of International Artists (FIA).
Both unions and FIA have been fully supportive of the recent stakeholder talks. We hope that resulting negotiations will lead to agreements that will ensure that all performers working across the Island of Ireland enjoy the right share equally in the economic success generated by their excellence.
Together we will strive towards a harmonisation of the agreements across the island of Ireland, and we call upon the producing community both in the UK and the Republic to right this longstanding inequity. Both Equity UK and Irish Equity remain steadfast in the defence and support of our membership and commit ourselves to make positive changes to our members’ lives and the industry in which they have chosen their careers.
Solidarity
In Ireland we take pride in the arts, the soft power it holds.
Adrian Kane, National Secretary, SIPTU
