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| Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 10:20 am EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Actors' Equity Association Announces 'Open Access,' Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership Any Actor or Stage Manager Who Has Received Compensation for Their Theatrical Work May Join New York - As the live arts industry begins to restart, and work increases as the pandemic diminishes, Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has announced a new Open Access membership policy, allowing any theatre worker who can demonstrate they have worked professionally as an actor or stage manager within Equity's geographical jurisdiction to join the union. Previously, eligibility for union membership had been limited to those working for an Equity employer - whether by direct contract offer or through the Equity Membership Candidate program - or to members of a sibling union. Now, Equity is broadening access to union jobs that offer living wages, benefits and important workplace safety provisions. "The old system had a significant flaw: It made employers the gatekeepers of Equity membership, with almost no other pathways to joining," said Kate Shindle, president of Actors' Equity Association. "The entertainment industry is disproportionately white, including and especially theatrical leadership. The union has inadvertently contributed to the systemic exclusion of BIPOC artists and others with marginalized identities by maintaining a system in which being hired to work those contracts was a prerequisite of membership. We hope that artists from all backgrounds will join us in building a union that uplifts the entire theatre community, especially those who have not felt included or welcome in the past." Additionally, the Open Access policy invites former members of Equity to rejoin the union without having to secure a new Equity contract, as required under previous policy. Former members and former applicants for membership who choose to join Equity under this policy may also apply previously paid initiation fees toward their current application. Open Access is effective immediately for actors and stage managers who wish to join or rejoin Equity, regardless of country of origin or residence. Eligibility will extend for two years, with application and down payment of applicable fees required by May 1, 2023. Further details about the policy are available on Equity's website. Background: Open Access is one of the pillars of the union's Diversity & Inclusion Retrofit, Equity's strategic framework for re-examining its own systems, structures and processes from the ground up to move Equity toward becoming an antiracist organization. ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: whereismikeyfl 08:48 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Official_Press_Release 10:20 am EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| The impact is going to vary by region. In New York City, you have Showcase Code, Cabaret Code, etc. that provide low-paying jobs that allow actors to built their work and get involved with projects at early stages of development even when they cannot get work that will support them financially. New York actors do not have much reason NOT to join Equity. Outside of New York, the types of contracts are more limited with no equivalent to these NYC contracts available. Actors sometimes do find limitations in amount and style of work available. So these actors do sometimes leave the union (which they probably would not if they were in NYC). Because contracts vary from city to city, members issues vary from city to city. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Revned 03:20 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Official_Press_Release 10:20 am EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| This was a terrible idea for a lot of reasons, and it's disgraceful that it was allowed to be passed without a full vote of the union's membership. Membership in AEA should be earned. It has always been a distinction and signifier that a performer had reached a certain level of professional skill and accomplishment. Sure, there are always some bad actors who squeak by and get in, and many worthy talents who don't catch a break and never join, but on the whole union status provides a valuable, if necessarily imperfect, gauge of credibility, and thus is an important factor in who gets seen at auditions. (When a show would benefit from opening up auditions to nonunion talent or having an open call, casting directors know this and plan accordingly.) It's hard enough even for established AEA actors to get the very limited slots at competitive auditions, and now there will be hundreds more, many of them underqualified, with the same access. By passing this plan, AEA is just making it even harder for their qualified professional members to audition and get jobs. More access to the union will not create more union jobs, so Equity's unemployment rate will go up from 90 percent to over 99 percent. Sure, some theatres may want to hire more Equity actors than they used to, but they still won't be able to afford it--especially now, when audiences and ticket sales will be down and budgets reduced due to the lack of income over the past year and continuing effects of the pandemic. Anybody who thinks small nonunion houses and community theatres will start hiring AEA actors as a result of this change has no understanding of the economics involved. AEA already cancelled the health insurance of nearly all its members since nobody worked enough weeks to keep it last year. They need to be looking after their members rather than indiscriminately adding more. To add insult to injury by creating more competition for jobs at this time makes no sense. Young actors with minimal experience will jump at the chance to join the union. Many of them will not be getting union work, and now they won't be allowed to audition for nonunion jobs either, so they will find themselves not able to work anywhere. Also, the idea that somehow this change will especially benefit BIPOC performers is unfounded and makes no sense. There is already a dramatically increased interest in plays by writers of color and in diverse casting--almost every theatre is focusing on this type of work, which would naturally have led to more Non-Equity BIPOC performers getting their chance to join the union in order to fill the increased demand. The fact that EDI language was used to support the initiative, even though there's no real correlation, was probably the reason they were able to push this through, as everybody is so afraid of sounding less woke than anybody else that the verbiage itself made it effectively impossible to object. |
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| Earned? | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 06:23 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Revned 03:20 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
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| I personally wouldn’t really say I “earned” my membership. I got in because I was fortunate to be hired to be in a show at the Guthrie Theater in 1995. It was a subjective decision by the director. It didn’t mean I was more talented than the other actors who auditioned. It just meant they thought I’d be good in that specific role. Being in the union says nothing about how talented you are. It just means you’ve been paid. | |
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| re: Earned? | |
| Posted by: ryhog 07:36 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: Earned? - KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
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| It's pretty clear that what revned was describing was a guild and it is equally clear to anyone familiar with AEA that it is not a guild. In a guild, one apprentices until one is anointed by the guild as a journeyman. That still exists for workers in fields where competence is a prerequisite (e.g., we would not want an electrician or carpenter whose work might get us killed), but in the theatre crafts, competence is in the eye of the beholder. (E.g., I think Rylance is at least arguably the greatest living actor yet have a good friend, a fine actor everyone here knows and the sort of person who would be involved in judging other actors were there such a thing, who thinks he is a hack, a one trick pony, and so on.) "Earned" in this context is a euphemism for chaos, not to mention stasis, prejudice, and systemic racism. No thanks. | |
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| Exactly. nm | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 08:35 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Earned? - ryhog 07:36 pm EDT 07/22/21 | |
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| Hhhjhggghhh | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: mikem 08:18 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Revned 03:20 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
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| "Young actors with minimal experience will jump at the chance to join the union. Many of them will not be getting union work, and now they won't be allowed to audition for nonunion jobs either, so they will find themselves not able to work anywhere." As you and others in this thread have said, this could be a real problem, and that problem could disproportionately affect people of color. Jennifer Paz, who is Filipina-American, is a well-known example of someone of color who left the union because of the lack of union gigs. She was around 21 when she was the alternate lead in the national tour of Miss Saigon, but she later left the union to take the role in a non-union production. Part of the issue was that she felt there were few union opportunities for someone like her. That scenario could play out more often now. |
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| Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: DistantDrumming 05:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 05:44 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Official_Press_Release 10:20 am EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Sorry to be cynical, but I assume this is about helping ensure Equity's solvency by swelling its ranks with largely non-professional actors who may have occasionally been compensated for their work, but would gladly pay dues to join Equity? Naturally, I'm not SummerTheater (RIP?) so I welcome and support increasing diversity and representation, but I imagine there were steps Equity and the industry could have taken (or expanded upon) to address those very important issues other than this dramatic expansion of eligibility. I wonder if SAG-AFTRA will amend their rules for Equity members. Right now, I believe the eligibility is that Equity members can join SAG-AFTRA if they have at least one year of membership in their main union and have been paid as a principal performer at least once. |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 10:52 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 10:51 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 05:44 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Why would anyone want to join SAG/AFTRA before landing a SAG/AFTRA contract? Makes no sense. Some people think you need to be in the union to book work but it’s just not true. I wasn’t in the union when I booked a series regular role on network TV. That’s when I joined the union. Don’t join before you need to. | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Posted by: ryhog 05:55 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 05:44 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| I am cynical but from a very different angle. I do not think there are many people who will "gladly pay dues [i.e., the initiation fee] to join Equity." It's not cheap, even with what is essentially a financing plan for the "investment." To me, it is window dressing a diversity/equality initiative. I'll happily be proven wrong. | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: DistantDrumming 06:32 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - ryhog 05:55 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| That's fair. I'm not so much thinking of the struggling actor who hasn't "made it" yet and for whom joining would be cost prohibitive, but more of the hobbyist actors. I know several in my medium sized town where community and "semi-professional" theatres far outnumber Equity houses. People who have regular day jobs / corporate careers who also spend a lot of their free time acting in community and semi-professional theatre productions, some of which they get modestly compensated for. For them, joining Equity may be desirable and attainable. But, perhaps that's too narrow a target to have a meaningful impact on what Equity is taking in. Just a thought. | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 10:48 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Why would it be desirable to give up the opportunity to continue work in community theater? The union limits what you can do. And you have to pay dues for this limitation. Why would a hobbyist actor want that? | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:41 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:40 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| If an actor joins Equity, they also have to give up looking for non-Equity work, which is no longer allowed at that point. They will be competing with people who have Broadway and regional credits, and if past is prelude, many don't work as much after joining Equity as they did in non-Equity. Plus the initiation fee is quite high, even with a few years to pay if off, and there are ongoing semi-annual dues too. I don't belong to social media, but I imagine it's being hotly debated by members on facebook, etc., especially since this was done by union committees or leadership without any kind of vote or input from the general membership. It's also for a limited amount of time (2 years as of now), so perhaps it is about needing money? | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: TheHarveyBoy 03:57 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Official_Press_Release 10:20 am EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Current AEA policy is that if you are a member, you cannot work on a non-union production (they famously kicked Barry Williams out of the union for doing so). Will these newborn members be required to follow that rule? They won't be happy if so. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 10:53 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - TheHarveyBoy 03:57 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| And that’s why they shouldn’t join | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:58 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:42 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - TheHarveyBoy 03:57 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| It should be made very clear to them by the union upfront before they take their money -- they may not know this. There are upsides and downsides to joining. Otherwise, to be fair, all union members would have to be allowed to seek non-union work when not working on an Equity contract, which is probably not what union leaders had in mind at all. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 11:00 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - PlayWiz 07:42 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| If Equity members take non-union work, there is no union. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: ryhog 04:25 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - TheHarveyBoy 03:57 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| It is inconceivable that they would not. My first reaction when I read about this was to think of that segment Letterman used to do on his show, Is This Anything? I don't think this is much of anything but to the extent it is, I think it is limited to NYC where there are few meaningful EMC program opportunities and the access issues from BIPOC actors are very real. Maybe others see something else. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:52 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:47 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - ryhog 04:25 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| There is a lounge just outside the main entrance to the Equity audition center where non-union people can wait if a spot opens so they can possibly be seen. Many shows that are chiefly looking for BIPOC actors have audition monitors who many times have quite a few audition spots and no one waiting to audition. (Shows looking for all demographics many times have people waiting for hours for a possible spot to open up.) If people showed up as non-union at some of these calls, they could possibly be seen without joining Equity and could still pursue non-union work until they landed an Equity gig. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 08:14 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - PlayWiz 07:47 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| But that’s the whole point, the current approach to non-Union actors asks them to put in the time to show up, wait outside, and maybe be seen if they got there early enough. Hoping that maybe some BIPOC actors will be seen only for shows that specifically need BIPOC actors because there aren’t enough BIPOC actors in Equity is not a solution, even as it points directly at the problem: A) not enough BIPOC actors in Equity, and B) the notion that BIPOC actors should be seen only in cases where the parts require BIPOC actors. The current set-up to join Equity, especially the EMC process, favors white, cis-gender, able bodied actors. This is one possible solution that might lead to actual success in broadening the industry’s idea of who deserves to be seen on stage and regarded as professional. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: ryhog 10:18 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Singapore/Fling 08:14 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| something needs to be done but I am not sure that a pay to play solution just as unemployment benefits are winding down is the solution. Again, maybe I am wrong but that was my reaction. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 11:20 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - ryhog 10:18 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| But Equity is always pay to play, it's just that in the past, it was the privilege of producers, directors, casting directors, and training institutions to determine when an actor had reached a point at which they could now pay to play. I'm also ambivalent about whether this will be a good solution - the toxicity and dysfunction of our industry is a much bigger knot than Equity can untie by creating more access to opportunities - but I'm willing to wait and see how this plays out, and I'm willing to trust that Shindle et al are doing this for worthwhile reasons rather than economic necessities. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: ryhog 11:43 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Singapore/Fling 11:20 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| I don't think it is a revenue grab but I am not sure it is meaningful access. But I agree we will wait and see. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 09:55 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 09:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Singapore/Fling 08:14 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| I'm not only "Hoping that maybe some BIPOC actors will be seen only for shows that specifically need BIPOC actors" -- there are plenty of Equity actors already in the union showing up and waiting around to be seen too. Non-Equity BIPOC actors and non-BIPOC are free to show up for anything, like current Equity actors do and wait. That part of it is not favoring anyone demographically -- as the saying goes, "90% of success in show biz is showing up"-- so show up! But as it stands now, Equity actors, who pay dues, which pay for the upkeep and salaries of the union employees, etc., get preference to be seen first. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 02:01 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - PlayWiz 09:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| New York has gotten too expensive for people to take time off from their jobs to hang out in the Equity lounge all day just in case they maybe get called in to audition for a job that might pay minimum wage. That becomes another way that theater privileges people who come from money, which overwhelmingly means white people. If this shift allows more actors to become dues paying members of the union who can have a better auditioning experience (including appointment times), then all the better. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: kess0078 09:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Singapore/Fling 08:14 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| One aspect I have not seen mentioned in this thread - I feel like this will open up opportunity to join the Union at one’s own pace, and not at the first offer of an Equity contract, or to be automatically “in” once you earn enough EMC points. I realize that my own experience is anecdotal, but I do feel it’s relevant: I was offered an Equity contract after a few years touring non-Equity. I was apprehensive about joining, and not 100% sure I was ready to jump into the next talent pool. But, I wasn’t sure if the opportunity to be given my Equity Card would come again any time soon, so I went for it and joined the Union. I was not ready- my career suffered. I would have benefited from a few more years working non union. If the opportunity to join Equity at my own pace, and when I felt like my career was in the “right place,” I would absolutely have waited to join. A personal experience, yes, but I think so many people are discussing the eagerness of new members to join, but aren’t assessing the other end of the spectrum - many actors joined the Union at an inopportune time simply because that’s how the system worked. |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: ryhog 10:14 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - kess0078 09:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| yes but... as I understand it, this is a 2 year window so if you pass on it now, you have no guarantee the opportunity will present itself when you are ready. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 09:52 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 09:51 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - kess0078 09:45 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Many years ago, I called Equity inquiring about requirements for joining, and the kind lady I spoke to actually told me it was sometimes worthwhile to wait to build up a resume with some good acting roles before jumping into the Equity audition pool with more experienced actors. I believe it was good advice. Many folks who worked quite a bit in non-Equity roles found that work slowed down significantly after joining Equity. I can understand the eagerness to join, as it seems to be a natural progression in a career to want to become more established as a professional and to go out for bigger shows in better theaters though. | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Last Edit: Snowgrace 01:19 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| Posted by: Snowgrace 01:12 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - PlayWiz 09:51 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| All this is fascinating...for several years in the 80s & 90s, if one earned a certain amount at a theatre, including a non-union one, one could become what I think was called an "eligible performer" & attend AEA calls (btw oh how I wish someone had told me back then how many of those were held merely because they were required by the union), but one couldn't join the union. So many members protested the increase in actors competing for audition spots that AEA put an end to that for us. It took a lot of us years to earn the points/contracts to ultimately join (with 4 points left, mine was thanks to a principal SAG contract which gave me eligibility first for THAT union), & it felt like a huge achievement when we did...That said, it's in huge part to the years of non-union tours & other productions that so much good came along during them & later. Maybe more theatres, including community, will all become union ones to accomodate all the new union members...time will tell. The world is changing... | |
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| re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership | |
| Posted by: Squillo 10:20 pm EDT 07/26/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Actors’ Equity Association Announces ‘Open Access,’ Expanding Eligibility for Union Membership - Snowgrace 01:12 am EDT 07/22/21 | |
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| Too many of the discussions I’ve seen on AEA open access both here and elsewhere don’t even mention that AEA is making such a move during a pandemic. Theatre was already a fragile industry. AEA houses have closed, gone nonunion and reopened with one and two person shows. One of the arguments for open access has been, “If we all join, they can’t hire anyone else.” I’ve never bought it. AEA leadership thinks NOW is the time to take such a risk? The result could only be more AEA members competing for fewer jobs and destroying an already difficult audition system for a long time. The union’s leadership should have focused on tightening our belts and trying to regain what we had before 3/20, not reinventing the wheel when the industry barely exists. | |
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