Equity protest at SPAA Offices today

Date: 14 August 2009

Australian performers will protest outside the Sydney offices of the Screen Producers' Association of Australia (SPAA) today in a bid to encourage SPAA to negotiate a replacement for the agreement they ripped up in June. If SPAA think they can terminate the Offshore Commercials Agreement what's to stop them from ripping up our film, theatre or tv agreements? If you are based in Sydney come along (we are meeting at the Shannon Reserve, Cnr Foveaux and Crown, in Surry Hills at 11.45am) with some friends and a show your support.

JUST TALK TO US!

Despite repeated requests from Equity, SPAA has refused to negotiate a new Offshore Commercials agreement.

So today we have come to SPAA's Office to tell them that PERFORMERS DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE - WE WANT AN AGREEMENT!

If SPAA think they can rip up one agreement, what's to stop them from ripping up any other
agreements in film and television.

Their move to rip up the Offshore Commercials Agreement is an attack upon all performers and
all our rights.

Background
The Screen Producers' Association of Australia (SPAA) has ripped up the Offshore Commercials
Agreement. The Agreement sets the minimum terms and conditions for artists working on foreign
commercials shot in Australia.

Prior to this letter there had been no indication that SPAA was unhappy with the agreement or
would like to make amendments.

In a ballot, 98 per cent of members voted in favour of industrial action from Friday August 7 if a new offshore commercials agreement had not been reached with SPAA.

Despite repeated requests, SPAA has refused to negotiate a new agreement.

Therefore from last Friday 7 August, Equity has officially on STRIKE.

Many of us here have never worked on an offshore television commercial and perhaps never will
but performers are standing together because this is an issue that affects all performers. If SPAA
think they can rip up one agreement, what's to stop them from ripping up any other agreements
in film and television. This is an attack upon all performers and all our rights.

SPAA has continually refused to sit down and negotiate a replacement for the agreement they
are terminating - if they had done so there would not be strike action. Because of SPAA's actions
withholding our labour on offshore commercial productions is one of the only ways to get SPAA
to sit down and negotiate a fair agreement.

All we are asking for is a chance to sit down, talk and negotiate a new agreement.

For further information

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

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