Equity meets ad bodies to discuss fees

Equity is to meet the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers for the first time in 14 months.

The move follows a decision by the actor’s union to lift a ban on members featuring in ads provided they are allowed to accept work under the terms of an expired 1991 agreement.

The ban was introduced by Equity last September, following a failure to agree on new terms on repeat fees for voice-overs.

The dispute had arisen with IPA and ISBA during negotiations for a new agreement to replace the 1991 agreement, which expired last April.

An agreed joint statement was released yesterday (June 16) by the IPA. It says: “Following an approach from Equity, the IPA and ISBA have agreed to meet them to explore whether grounds exist on which further progress in negotiating a new agreement might be made.”

It is understood that the original issue of payment for repeat fees will be on the agenda, as well as the wording of a collective agreement to replace that reached in 1991.

During the boycott, members of the union were criticised for breaking the ban. They included actor/ director Stephen Berkoff who did a voice-over for McDonald’s.