Actors' Equity Association has emerged from the winter of 1997 with a clutch of new contracts, among them the Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST) agreement, the Resident Musical Theatre Agreement (RMTA), and the Outdoor Drama contract.
Meanwhile, Equity awaits a decision from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regarding proposed alterations in auditions procedures. If the board approves the proposal--which would result in separate Equity and non-union auditions--language echoing the decision would be incorporated into the three agreements as well as other Equity contracts, including ones negotiated last year with the League of American Theatres and Producers and the League of Resident Theatres.
Daniel Silverman, regional director of the NLRB, said a decision on the auditions question may be reached sometime during the work week ending Fri, May 9.
New CORST Category
Negotiations for the new three-year CORST contract have yielded a new company category: "zz." The division will apply to theatres with a potential gross below $35,000. Previous categories include: "X" (theatres with a potential gross of $80,000-$100,000); "Y" ($55,000-$80,000): and "Z" ($35,000-$55,000).
Equity won salary increases in each of the three pre-existing divisions. The minimum pay for actors and assistant stage managers working at "X" companies will rise from $580.94 to $635 over the life of the contract, while stage manager pay will climb from $741.14 to $810. "Y" company minimums for actors and ASMs will go from $534.44 to $584 over the three years, and from $669.18 to $731 for stage managers. Equity actors and ASMs working at "Z" theatres will see a rise from $486.89 to $533, as stage managers enjoy a bump from $598.28 to $654. Finally, salaries for actors and ASMs in the new "zz" category will begin at $425 and end at $451 in 1999; stage manager pay will start at $522 and climb to $554.
In another change, CORST producers have agreed to notify Equity when a role being cast depicts a person with a specific disability, so that disabled actors will have the opportunity to audition.
RMTA, Outdoor Salaries Upped
The RMTA agreement has been extended through Nov. 30. The extension includes bumps in salary and per diem. Minimum pay jumps from $616.05 to $630 for actors; $848.32 to $871 for SMs; and $638.23 to $653 for SMs. Per diem rises from $66.50 to $89.25 per week.
Equity and Outdoor Drama, meanwhile, exited talks with a new three-year deal. It, too, features salary increases. Both actors and stage managers will receive a 4% jump in minimum pay for this season, equaling $514.80 per week for actors, $611.82 for SMs, and $661.52 for SMs in repertory. Salaries in the second and third years of the contract will be adjusted according to cost-of-living.
The CORST, RMTA, and Outdoor contracts all call for contracted theatres to complete an on-set technical-dress rehearsal for each production prior to the first paid public performance.
Equity also recently restructured its Guest Artist Agreement, which is used by colleges and community theatres on occasions when they bring in an Equity performer. The new contract is based on a tiered system, the appropriate level for a theatre determined by the week containing the largest number of regularly scheduled performances. The pact also calls for new required per diems for out-of-town actors, and that actors be hired as employees, rather than as independent contractors or on a fee basis. Business Representative Zalina Hoosein was chief negotiator for CORST and Outdoor ag