Actors' Equity Association's national council has approved a new four-year national cabaret contract that includes salary increases, full health benefits, and new features.
The new weekly four-tiered salaries range from $366 to $722 for actors--up from the old contract figures ranging from $355 to $701--and $442 to $874 for stage managers, a rise from the old pact's $429 to $849 range. The contract also includes provisions for a per-performance salary schedule.
The new pact includes pension accrued at 8%, with full health benefits, ranging from $110 to $122 per week in the first year of the agreement. However, health insurance is not required for less than four performances per week.
Equity also garnered new features in the pact, including set-move payments; dance-captain increments based on 15% of weekly minimum salary; and new safety and sanitary provisions. According to Patrick Lee, Equity's Eastern business representative, many actors cited sanitary conditions as one of their priority concerns.
Equity's new smoke-and-fog protocols and nondiscrimination provisions are also contained in the new contract.
The national pact covers theatrical, revue, theme or character-driven performances in cabaret style spaces with tables and chairs along with food and beverage service, in venues up to 500 seats. The production must be 90 minutes or less, including intermission.
Membership Meetings Oct. 4
Equity will hold its Eastern, Central, and Western regional membership meetings on Fri., Oct. 4.
The special order of business at all three meetings will be to solicit suggestions for the Equity Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST) contract which expires on Feb. 24, 2003. The CORST pact, which covers resident dramatic stock, is used by commercial and nonprofit producers. The contract's four categories are based on potential weekly box office gross. A resident company of five principal actors and one stage manager must be maintained in all but two productions. No more than 50% of the performance weeks may be for musical productions. Touring is not permitted, and benefits include pension and health, housing, and transportation.
The Eastern meeting's agenda will also include presentation of the Paul Robeson Citation.
EEOC Date Change
In New York, the first annual cultural celebration sponsored by Equity's Eastern regional equal employment opportunity committee (EEOC), previously announced for Oct. 14, has been rescheduled for Mon., Oct. 21, in the Duke Ellington Room at Manhattan Plaza, 400 W. 43rd St., at 7 pm. The committee is seeking volunteers from the membership to perform self-contained, small pieces representing any and all cultural heritages.
Playwright at Website
At press time, Equity announced the appointment of a New York playwright, Nancy G. McClernan, as the union's new web designer and assistant communications director.
McClernan has performed web design, data and information architecture, and technical writing for companies including Merck, Voicenet, HealthCast, TIS Worldwide, Vanteon, Ebeon, and the major law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom.
But she's also a member of the Dramatists Guild. According to the union, her dark comedy, "Monkey's Paw 2000," was performed in the Midtown International Theatre Festival in August 2000, and her romantic comedy, "Tam Lin," was among plays selected for the Deptford Players reading series. She founded and currently heads NYCPlaywrights, a new plays development group that holds weekly readings in Greenwich Village.