“We Are Not Going To Have The UK Used As A Backdoor To Undermine SAG,” Says British Equity Boss On Eve Of London Rally

EXCLUSIVE: “We are not going to have the UK used as a backdoor to undermine SAG-AFTRA’s dispute,” the leader of UK actors union Equity has declared.

Speaking exclusively to Deadline prior to Equity’s first rallies in support of the U.S. actors’ cause, Paul Fleming denied that the labor action which has just entered its second week across the pond will be a boon for his members.

Much of the talk internationally has centered on whether more international actors will be able to get work while U.S. talent down tools and some U.S.-commissioned shows filming in the UK such as House of the Dragon have been allowed to continue. But Equity has said, for example, that it will unequivocally support SAG’s refusal to isssue new Global Rule One addenda during the strike and, while refusing to comment on specific shows, Fleming pointed out that “access to American talent drying up” impacts the entire global industry.

“We will use every means possible and legal to support [the strike],” he added. “We’re not going to have the UK used as a backdoor to undermine their dispute.”

Since the strike was called, Fleming said he has had a “chaotic, complex” time helping his 50,000-strong member base understand the ramifications on their projects, although the union issued clear guidance on the first evening of the dispute.

The UK’s anti-union laws mean that SAG members currently working under an Equity contract are obliged to push on as they have no legal protection if they down tools.

While describing these laws as “phenomenally draconian,” Fleming said he wasn’t aware of any British actors refusing to work in solidarity.

“There are people who want to show solidarity with their brothers and sisters across the pond in other ways and that is a difficult conversation to have,” he added. “It’s the same with public sector workers over here. People want to show solidarity with nurses or train drivers and they are also prevented from taking action to support them.”

Equity’s cause is more than one of just supporting its counterparts in the U.S., however. The union’s TV and film contract with UK producer trade body Pact and the broadcasters is running down and negotiations will begin in earnest shortly.

“Broadly identical” demands

Fleming stressed Equity’s key demands for change, which have been submitted to Pact, are “broadly identical” to SAG, with the UK union demanding a 15% pay rise, reporting provisions around secondary payments – akin to streaming residuals – and provisions on AI.

“So this dispute has a massive impact on what the [British] producers will be looking to do over the coming year,” added Fleming.

With the future British negotiations in mind, Fleming was speaking with SAG officials once every couple of days prior to the strike and is now speaking to them daily in order to make sure the pair are alinged.

“Equity and SAG are independent of each other but we don’t want to be sat in different rooms being told different things by the same people [during negotiations],” he added.

“Our agreements are as strong as SAG’s and we expect nothing less. SAG is undeniably the largest and most influential entertainment union in the world but we are undeniably the second. Our agreements form the basis of the vast majority of content that’s filmed in Europe as well as the UK.”

AI provisions will comprise a major part of these negotiations and work on the much-discussed topic’s impact on TV and film was kickstarted in a global meeting in London last September, when SAG and Equity exchanged ideas. Equity has since developed an AI toolkit that, amongst other things, attempts to prevent performers from having their performances cloned. “We started off on the broad brush and now SAG is ahead on the detail,” said Fleming.

He was speaking in advance of dual Equity rallies in London and Manchester that will feature appearances from a number of high-profile actors including Rob Delaney and Simon Pegg, along with Equity officials and Labour politician John McDonnell. The rallies will kick off in three hours’ time.