As strongly
as I support the 99 seat plan and those bravely fighting to defend it, I've
been contemplating making a donation myself out of solidarity, but I just
cannot do it. I think our LA peers are getting a raw deal all around, and for
them to have to raise $75k to have discussions
with their union, which they keep
afloat through dues - it just seems so terribly wrong - especially when the
union already held a vote on the matter and then threw out the decision of
their members. Equity should be covering the cost of these discussions,
especially when they can pay their Exec Director a quarter of a million dollars
a year. They seem to have more money than they let on. (Though, ironically, the President is a
voluntary position – yet… actors can’t volunteer for shows?)
Last summer,
when people were at their justified angriest, they filed a suit against the appointed
Exec Director, only to drop it in hopes of non-hostile discussion. (As you
may or may not know, NY has been fighting against the 34 year old Showcase code
for ages now. Every one, including generations before me, went in like choir
boys asking for a holy favor, using the utmost respect, and we got years of “sure,
we’ll look into it.” (A movie ticket costs more now than the set Showcase ticket!) Change never happened, and only when we/I were at the end of
our rope and fed up with the hypocrisy, and were to fight back with facts, a
social media backing and without the constraint of pleasantries, did we make
any progress. Hopefully, the progress
ReGroup has made in this year will be the start of major change on this coast.
While it’s clearly smart not to operate solely out of anger, those feelings were repeatedly provoked by Ms. McColl's refusal to listen, and as far as I’ve seen, nothing has changed. You too have tried the high road so many times, maybe it’s time to tell your union what YOU need. I’m not advocating disrespectful conduct, but for us, it came to the point Equity would lose a lot of members, and we’d do it in a high profile matter. EVERY single member needs to write their own personal letter to the powers that currently be.
While it’s clearly smart not to operate solely out of anger, those feelings were repeatedly provoked by Ms. McColl's refusal to listen, and as far as I’ve seen, nothing has changed. You too have tried the high road so many times, maybe it’s time to tell your union what YOU need. I’m not advocating disrespectful conduct, but for us, it came to the point Equity would lose a lot of members, and we’d do it in a high profile matter. EVERY single member needs to write their own personal letter to the powers that currently be.
The money
(and stress!) to fight for the LA 99 Seat should not be coming off the artists'
back. AS MUCH AS I SUPPORT THE CAUSE, AND AS MUCH RESPECT FOR MANY OF THE
PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR IT, AS THE OUTSIDER, I THINK THE CURRENT PLAN IS A BUM DEAL
FOR THE TALENT. At the least, there needs
to be a 501(c)(4) advocacy group formed so that artists donations can be tax
deductible.
Surely, we
all want to believe Equity will play fair, but especially in the 99 Seat fiasco,
they’ve proven repeatedly that they cannot be trusted. After 5 years of persistently ignoring our
requests, they finally listened to ReGroup and gave us what little we needed. I
was one of those proud Equity members when I got the email, but I don’t believe it ever would have
happened if we hired lawyers and sat with our hands in our laps. Rally the
numbers you have. Without your dues, they can’t afford to pay Ms McColl her
yearly ¼ million dollars. Then, maybe she will listen.
I’m 110% certain to
get more hate mail for this, but I don't have time to read it, so save your time. Thoughtful comments will be read when I get time. Whatever you, as the 99 seat community
decide, we will have your back. Please take an outsider’s POV for what it is
worth and consider saving your money for your art.
#1Theatre
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