Actors' Equity Ushers in New Terms for New England Area Theatres

Actors' Equity announced that it has reached an agreement for a new New England Area Theatres (NEAT) agreement for Boston-area theatres. The new contract includes a 28 percent increase to minimum salaries.

Other key elements include additional contracts for all three job categories: Chorus performers, Principal Performers and Stage Managers will all see additional job opportunities. Stage Managers will also see their additional payments during Tech Week double.

The agreement, which was unanimously approved by Equity's Eastern Regional Board Friday, starts on September 3, 2018, and lasts through September 4, 2022.

In the 2018 Regional Theatre Report, Actors' Equity shared that more than 1,100 Equity members live in the Greater Boston area, including Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, and that it averaged 9.6 work weeks per member.

"The NEAT contract is the latest in a series of agreements we've negotiated that will lead to higher wages and more opportunities for Equity members," said Mary McColl, Executive Director of Actors' Equity Association. "This contract was driven by the needs of our members in Boston, and I want to thank all the members of the Liaison Committee who volunteered their time to help us with the negotiating process."

"As someone who has been negotiating this contract for so many years, I was thrilled to see so many Equity members in the room talking about how we could move forward together to create a stronger professional theatre community for Boston Actors and Stage Managers," said Spiro Veloudos, President, the Producers Association of New England Area Theatre Producers (NEAT).

The new terms of this agreement mark the latest in a series of additional and better-paying work opportunities organized by Equity as part of its Equity 2020 mission. In May, they reached a deal with Norwegian Cruise Line, marking the first time that a full Equity cast has been used on a cruise ship.

In March, Equity reached an agreement with the producers of Rocktopia to ensure the show used wall-to-wall Equity contracts. In December, Equity announced a new three-year agreement with BroadwayCon, a contract that more than doubled the weekly salaries for stage managers and created a 95 percent increase in the weekly minimum for actors.

Actors' Equity Association, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its Members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. #EquityWorks.?

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