Performers demand R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Date: 09 November 2004

Australian performers have been left reeling with the news that the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) has terminated the agreement covering the production of commercials for overseas markets.

"This is an agreement that took 2 years to negotiate and was only finalised in October 2003. During the short life of the agreement we also willingly sat down, listened to and agreed to numerous further changes to the agreement sought by the producers."

"The irony is", said Whipp, "that if an American performer covered by a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) agreement can expect to be paid up to $30,000US for a performance in a 12 month campaign, and if they are covered by a Canadian agreement they get paid the same rate."

"The Australian agreement provides that for the same campaign an Australian performer will be paid only about 33% per cent of what is paid to their American and Canadian counterparts just for being Australian. But that's not enough for SPAA they want Australian performers to get paid even less" he said.

"The current agreement was negotiated with SPAA by a number of high profile Australian performers including AFI winners and we are willing to renegotiate the agreement." explained Whipp.

"However we object to bully-boy tactics better suited to outfits like Patricks or Rio Tinto. Just how exactly do we negotiate a new agreement in good faith with a big black cloud hanging over our heads?" he asked. "The average yearly wage for an Australian performer is $10,500, so producers arguments that performers are paid too much ring hollow."

"Unless SPAA can show a little more respect for Australia's performers, industrial action, including a strike, is certainly looking more and more likely as the SPAA 12 December deadline draws nearer."

The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance is the union representing performers in film, television, commercials, radio, opera, dance, theatre, musical theatre and variety in Australia and is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2004.

For further information

Contact:	Simon Whipp
Union:	MEAA
Phone:	02 9333 0999
Fax:	02 9333 0933
Email:	mail@alliance.org.au
WWW:	www.alliance.org.au

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