[e-drive]EQUIFLASH [CAEA RESPONDS TO SECOND ATTACK BY COLUMNIST]

[Darlene Bullard]

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CAEA REBUTTAL
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The following Rebuttal has been sent to the Toronto Star Ombudsman with
our request that it be posted in response to the ongoing attacks by
their columnist. The second article by Martin Knelman has been posted on
the Toronto Star website and can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&i
nifile=futuretense.ini&c=Page&cid=970599109774&ce=Columnist&colid=971715
457606

**

Over two consecutive weekends, the Star's Martin Knelman launched a
concerted offensive against Canadian Actors' Equity, blaming it for both
the early closings of "The Producers" and "Hairspray", and the possible
cancellation of "We Will Rock You."  All three mega-musicals are
productions of Toronto theatre impresario David Mirvish.  First on
October 9 and again on October 17, Knelman attempted to lay the
responsibility for the future of musicals in Toronto on the doorstep of
the performers' union.  May we attempt to set the record straight?

For as much as unions may from time to time delude themselves that they
are all powerful, we have not yet reached the point where we can take
responsibility for the weather, the economy, or outbreaks of strange and
new diseases.  Nor can we take credit for knowing what the public will
enjoy and be willing to spend money to see.  These things are simply not
in our hands.  Our job is to ensure that our members actually get work
and when they do, that they are working under the best conditions we can
negotiate for them.  Surely Knelman cannot imagine that it would be in
the interest of the union to have its members out of work.  The possible
postponement or cancellation of "We Will Rock You" has nothing to do
with Equity and everything to do with investor confidence in the
Mirvishes' ability to produce a hit.

Agreements between performers and producers resemble those between
professional players' associations and owners.  The union negotiates for
minimums and then the individual or their agent can negotiate for more.
Every three years, Equity sits down with PACT, the professional
theatres' association, and hammers out a new basic agreement.  Neither
side ever gets everything it wants but we both walk away with a fair
deal we can live with for the next three years.

What Knelman has missed in his diatribe, and what could have been
corrected for him with one simple phone call, is that the Mirvish
organization is a member of PACT and has for close to thirty years now
bargained their contract with Equity as part of a much larger group.  If
the Mirvishes don't like their contract, why did they agree to it in the
first place?  It is barking up the wrong tree to criticize Equity for
problems with the contract.  Equity does not represent the Mirvishes -
PACT does. 

And what about these rules Knelman calls "hopelessly complex"?  Simple:
the American and Canadian unions have agreed not to undercut each other.
If a touring show from the US comes to Canada and the minimum fees paid
to the artists do not match our minimums, then the fees must go up to
match our minimums.  And vice versa.  Without this commitment there
would be no incentive for either of us to let the other in the country.
In exchange for this commitment, the unions allow members free access to
jobs in the other's jurisdiction.  This reciprocity is invaluable to
Canadian performers who might otherwise not be able to get a shot on
Broadway or elsewhere in the US.  Let's take a moment to think what
"Mamma Mia!" might have been like in New York without Louise Pitre, Tina
Madigan, Dick Binsley and the slew of other Canadians in that cast.

Knelman states "it does not help to take a confrontational attitude" and
CAEA could not agree more.  We share with our community's desire for a
strong and vibrant live performance scene in Toronto and across this
great country.  We have the most talented artists in the world just
waiting to stretch their gifts to bring new and wonderful experiences to
our audiences.   If compromise is needed to make that happen, we are
open for that discussion.  But when that discussion happens, it won't be
via the pages of the Toronto Star, but rather across a table like
reasonable people who usually find reasonable solutions to their
problems.

Susan Wallace
Executive Director
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Canadian Actors' Equity Association
44 Victoria Street, 12th Floor
Toronto, ON M5C 3C4
Tel: 416-867-9165
Fax: 416-867-9246
e-mail: communications at caea.com