30 June 2022

A new Commercial Theatre Variation Agreement ballot by Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, has been backed by over 98% of those voting on a record turnout for ballots on this agreement.

23 June 2022

On Saturday 18 June 2022 trade unions and groups from across the movement came out to demand a stronger government response to the Cost of Living Crisis. Equity were out in full force to demonstrate our commitment to a better standard of living, alongside over 15,000 people walking through London in order to demonstrate.

08 June 2022

AI Campaigning updates

01 June 2022

On 26 May 2022 the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the government would be making one-off cash payments to certain people to help with the cost of living crisis.

26 May 2022

Following our demo on 22 May, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds, has decided to reverse its decision to lay off employees. Four employees (comprising two dancers and two creatives) will no longer be laid off from June 2022 to January January 2023 as was previously planned.

26 May 2022

"After months of the pressure from Equity and the trade union movement about the cost of living crisis, the Chancellor has finally caved in and announced a package to support households across the country who face escalating energy and food bills. However, it is a disgrace to not include the permanent uprating of benefits and making Universal Credit work for self-employed people."

22 May 2022

Yesterday (Saturday 21 May) we held a rally calling on the Government to stop the privatisation of Channel 4. Starting with a demo, around 50 Equity members brought placards and chants straight to the doorstep of Channel 4’s national headquarters in Leeds at 6.15pm yesterday. This was followed by a rally at Leeds Corn Exchange, which featured speakers such as the Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell and Hollyoaks actress Dawn Hope, as well as representatives from an independent production company based in the North of England and the campaign group We Own It.

22 May 2022

Join us at a demo at Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds, tomorrow (Monday 23 May) at 9.15am. It's to demand that the contemporary dance company reverse their decision to lay off dancers, as well as call for an end to the job precarity experienced by performing artists.

19 May 2022

We've launched a new Code of Best Practice for Self-Tape & Zoom Auditions for Commercials, agreed together with industry organisations. This is the first ever code of best practice that has been produced for commercials in the UK and follows the launch of a Code of Best Practice for Self-Tape & Zoom Auditions for Scripted Drama in August last year.

18 May 2022

Equity’s North East Official Dominic Bascombe has called the decision to lay off the creative team at Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds, “beyond comprehension” and “appalling”.