DANCERS

ISSUE:
Dancers are losing contract benefits, wages, penalties, rehearsal/set safety consideration.

WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
Because of the proliferation of more professional dance-related opportunities, it is now more important than ever to preserve the protections and wages that have been fought for and won by our union over the years.

• Standards such as hazard pay, dressing rooms, rehearsal time and rehearsal space, once written into our contracts, are now often inappropriately negotiated directly on set.

• A dancer’s principal status is being diminished. Dancers, hired as Principal Performers, are more commonly given Background Vouchers, in lieu of Principal Contracts.

• Dangerous acrobatics or more complicated unrehearsed routines are being requested on the spot, with no prep time or safety considerations. Aerialists are frequently requested to work without nets or safety pads.

• Dancers are being relegated to holding areas and rehearsal spaces in parking lots or other equally unacceptable locations, in most cases without enough chairs or water. Pavement and blacktops are unacceptable dance floors and exposure to inclement weather can lead to injury.

If dancers speak up, they fear retaliation, black-listing or being labeled as a “trouble- makers.”

• Rest Breaks and safety issues are being ignored, as there are no delegated Dance Coordinators required on set to monitor and enforce rules.

• SAG Legacy TV contracts are being replaced with outdated Network Code (NetCode) Contracts that take advantage of dancers regarding rehearsal time and weekly pay, diminishing established weekly wages to a minimum hourly wage, down to as few as 4 paid hours of work per week.

• Dancers are also frequently expected to show up on set prepared with pre-learned choreography from videos sent to dancers prior to the first paid day of work. This cuts rehearsal time, forcing dancers to learn and rehearse choreography on their own, unpaid time.

These diminishing standards of wages and working conditions are unacceptable.

WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION?
As physical, artistic performers, Dancers must have similar benefits, protections, and representation as do stunt performers in terms of safety, rehearsal time and space, adequate holding facilities/dressing rooms, etc.

Guarantee an on-set Dance Coordinator (similar to a Stunt Coordinator) to determine potential safety hazards, adequate rehearsal time/space, extraordinary physical requests on set, and if additional stipends (such as hazard pay, meal penalties, break penalties, etc.) are due.

MembershipFirst will advocate strongly for the many unique issues Dancers face and is determined to educate Dancers regarding their resources for on-set safety and sexual harassment guaranteed by their union.