A delegation of Equity activists and officials visited New York in August to exchange updates and deepen longstanding relationships with sister union Actors' Equity (AEA) ahead of each union going into negotiations on terms and conditions on Broadway and the West End.
Equity West End Deputies Roshani Abbey and Andrew Linnie were alongside Equity general secretary Paul W Fleming, assistant general secretary for Live Performance Adam Adnyana, Head of Policy Tom Peters, and Equity vice president Jackie Clune to meet our American sister union, Actors' Equity (AEA).
Actors’ Equity go into negotiations on their Broadway contracts next week, we go in into negotiations early next year, so we’ve been having a really useful conversation about both sides, what we need, and how we get there
Roshani Abbey, Member of Equity's West End Deputies Committee
“The sense of solidarity is stronger today than ever”, said Equity general secretary Paul W Fleming, reflecting on several days of productive meetings. Equity in the UK was founded 17 years after Actors Equity (AEA) in the USA, inspired by their collective power to improve the lives of working artists, and that continues to form the basis of the relationship between the two unions.
“As American Equity begin their negotiations for a new agreement, they’re assured of both our unwavering support, and our advice on the social terms of our agreements where we have made good progress in recent years,” continued Paul. “Their demands for reasonable improvements to healthcare, holidays, and other leave are well trodden paths for us. Their proposals are more than reasonable for a dignified Broadway workforce.”
Exploring the differences in the two workforces, Paul said: “Where we do better in social terms, it’s clear we need to make progress on pay. It’s been invaluable to compare and contrast both rates and strategies with our counterparts in the US as our West End Deps Committee prepares our claim for 2026.”
Speaking on the roof of Actors’ Equity headquarters in the heart of Broadway, Equity dep Roshani Abbey explained: “Actors’ Equity go into negotiations on their Broadway contracts next week, we go in into negotiations early next year, so we’ve been having a really useful conversation about both sides, what we need, and how we get there.”
Andrew Linnie, who sits on Equity’s West End Deps committee alongside Roshani and other Deps on shows across London’s theatre district, spoke about the meetings with comrades in our US sister union. “We’ve been looking at our shared priorities, what they’re looking for over here, what we’re looking for on the West End and how we can assist each other to get a great deal for both sets of members”, he said.
We’ve been looking at our shared priorities...and how we can assist each other to get a great deal for both sets of members
Andrew Linnie, Member of Equity's West End Deputies Committee
Summing up a “really constrictive couple of days”, Equity vice president Jackie Clune said: “It’s important that we build on our relationship with American Equity because they face similar struggles – in the commercial sector, the touring sector, in subsidised theatre. We’ve been discussing pay rates, how we improve on those and what the other asks are for our members.”
Meetings between committee members responsible for representing workers in theatre in the US and in the UK provided an invaluable opportunity to compare notes across workplaces on either side of the pond. “It was an opportunity for our deps in advance of agreement negotiations to discuss shared priorities, compare and contrast experiences and reaffirm support across the two unions,” said Equity’s Live Performance AGS, Adam Adnyana.
Whether it’s here or in NYC, we say: to all artists, good work; to all workers, good art; to all people, equity - and to AEA: victory.
Paul W Fleming, Equity General Secretary
The visit also provided a useful opportunity to discuss the Broadway-West End Exchange Agreement, which both facilitates transatlantic job opportunities, and protects artists when they’re away from home. “We’ve re-cemented our joint understanding of the Exchange Agreement” said Paul. “There’s a lot of work to be done to get a modern exchange agreement which works for members of both unions in 2025- but our unions are making it happen.”
After several days of comradely welcome, Paul extended “a special thanks to my counterpart, Al Vincent Jr., the Broadway negotiations committee, and show captains across Broadway for hosting us and making the visit so meaningful.
“Whether it’s here or in NYC, we say: to all artists, good work; to all workers, good art; to all people, equity - and to AEA: victory.”
