London, February 24, 2005

Dear Colleagues of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association,

Re: Blue Man Group

We are seriously concerned about the on-going attempts by the Blue Man Group, fronted by Clear Channel, to produce their show in Canada and in the United Kingdom with total disregard for labour standards. Particularly unacceptable is the fact that - despite the huge investment to put up and market the show - the Blue Man Group is shunning negotiations with the trade unions on fair working conditions and remuneration for the performers and craftspeople that will ultimately be vital to the success of the show! Ultimately, the velvet of a theatre seat is valued more than the talent that the audience wishes to see perform on stage!

By aiming to sign up amateurs, the Blue Man Group is discrediting the whole profession. No one genuinely committed to this craft should accept to work with them until they play by the book.

By flouting negotiations with the unions, the Blue Man Group is undercutting other producers in the business that have behaved fairly with the talent they have engaged. Such practice is equally damaging to them and should be resolutely opposed.

By seeking to impose its unilateral standards to the performers and craftspeople that are needed for its show, the Blue Man Group is gambling with their safety, their welfare and their ability to seriously envisage a decent life combined with a worthwhile professional commitment.

The International Federation of Actors (FIA) strongly condemns this policy and forwards its unconditional support to all action deemed necessary by the Canadian Actors' Equity Association and by other sister unions in Canada that have resolved to pick up this challenge together. In addition, we call on all our affiliated unions, guilds and associations to instruct their members not to take up work for the Blue Man Group, until an agreement with the unions in Canada and in the United Kingdom is successfully reached.

The International Federation of Actors represents more than one hundred performers' trade unions, guilds and associations worldwide. Collectively, our members speak for hundreds of thousands of actors, dancers, singers, variety performers and broadcast professionals in 75 countries, including Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia.

Yours in solidarity,

FIA represents performers' unions in Argentina Australia Austria Belarus Belgium Bhutan Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Paso Cameroon Canada Chile Columbia Congo (DR) Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel Italy Japan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea Kyrgyzstan Latvia Luxembourg Madagascar Mexico Moldova Morocco Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Norway Panama Pakistan Paraguay Peru Poland Portugal Romania Russia Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom United States of America Uruguay Venezuela Zambia Zimbabwe

 

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