Actors’ Equity is trying to change the name to reflect full membership

The Actors’ Equity Association plans to change its name to better reflect its full membership.

Founded in 1913, the 51,000-member union not only represents actors and stage managers who work in live theater, but has recently organized strip club dancers, planetarium educators and others who work in live arts and entertainment.

The union said today that it is now accepting proposals “to guide stakeholders in determining a possible new name for the union, as well as to implement a possible name change and renaming”.

According to the union, a “selected supplier will work with the managers and staff of Equity members in two phases. In the first phase of the work, the agency will advise the Change The Name working group on assessing readiness for the name change, conducting market and stakeholder research, developing new name options and choosing a new name, while it also communicates with members and the public. industry by developing the process. In phase two, should the union decide to proceed with a new name, the agency will assist in the development of brand assets associated with the new name, including but not limited to a new logo and/or logotype, slogan, a visual identity, etc.

The closing date for questions is March 1, answers must be submitted by March 15, an award is expected by the end of April. Project work is expected to start in May and last until 2024. The tender is open to all companies. Read the full RFP here.

The name change process began with a resolution passed at the 2021 Justice Convention, but is rooted in the history of the union. This is the background:

“To understand the desire for a new name and identity for the union, it is important to understand a bit of Equity’s history, which stretches back to the union’s founding in 1913,” the union said. “Actors’ Equity Association was officially recognized by the American Federation of Labor (later AFL-CIO) in 1919 when Equity launched its historic first strike.

“This was the first strike in the history of American theater to demand recognition as the artist’s agent and negotiator. The strike lasted 30 days, spread to eight cities, closed 37 plays, prevented 16 others from opening, and cost millions of dollars. Choir artists joined the battle with the actors. Five days after the strike began, the Chorus Equity Association was formed.

“In the early days of theater in America, the roles of today’s stage managers were often filled by actors. But in 1920 stage management was recognized as a separate professional category in equity contracts, and stage managers have been valued members of the Actors’ Equity Association ever since.

“Actors’ Equity and Chorus Equity merged in 1955. Today, Equity is structured around three main professional categories: lead artists, chorus artists and stage managers. However, only two of these categories are represented in the name of the Actors’ Equity Association.

“After years of organizing within the stage management community, Equity’s first meeting in 2021 adopted a resolution titled ‘In Solidarity Change Our Union’s Name.’ The resolution reads:

WHEREAS the Actors’ Equity Association is a union representing tens of thousands of stage managers and actors nationwide; And

WHEREAS the current name of our union, Actors’ Equity Association, excludes a portion of our membership, especially stage managers; And

WHEREAS the current name perpetuates a common misconception that stage managers are not members of our union; And

WHEREAS stage managers pay the same fees as actors, but are still referred to as Capital A “actors” in contract parlance; And

CONSIDERING that the UNION shall have flexibility within its jurisdiction for future growth and in particular shall include ALL its current dues paying members; And,

WHEREAS employers maintain their power by dividing workers and that as a union we are strongest when we actively use our full solidarity to regain our power as workers united; And

WHEREAS stage managers have always been members of the Actors’ Equity Association; And

WHILE we waited 108 years;

SO YOU DECIDE The Convention thinks that the name of our union should be changed; And,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Union will fulfill its mission of solidarity and support a name change to include all its members; And,

IF FINALLY DECIDED The Convention recommends that the National Council develop a complete plan to facilitate this name change within three years of the conclusion of the 2021 Convention

This resolution was subsequently endorsed by Equity’s Council in June 2021 with the following policy:

VOTED to unanimously adopt the recommendation of the Executive Committee regarding: Convention Resolution 3-02 Solidarity, Changing the name of our union:

RESOLVED that the name of our union should be changed; And,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Union will fulfill its mission of solidarity and support a name change to include all its members; And,

THEY FINALLY RESOLVE that within three years of the conclusion of the 2021 convention, the National Council must develop a complete plan to facilitate this name change and assemble a working group to begin this process.