If the blog has been quiet of late, it isn’t because nothing has been happening. Quite the reverse. Since the start of the year, the Committee has been progressing with, among other things, a working party to look at radio commercials, a team to negotiate rates with the BBC, and a booklet to provide information and guidance for members who work in the Audio industry. More on all of these in future blogs.
One of the key jobs of Equity committees and branches is to formulate motions to be sent each year to the A.R.C. (Annual Representatives’ Conference). The A.R.C. is where rules and regulations are made and altered, policies formed and campaigns launched.
At the 2015 conference, the Audio Committee tabled a motion to reinstate an Audio Seat to Equity’s governing Council. One of the chief objections at the time was that regulations stipulated that a referendum would be required in order to make this happen, and that this would be a costly undertaking. However, the motion and then the referendum were both carried overwhelmingly
and the Audio Seat reinstated. Elections are now underway and we look forward to having a dedicated representative back on Council in July of this year.
With that in mind, the Audio Committee has this year agreed a motion requesting that, in future, changes to internal rules may be carried out by achieving a two thirds majority at the ARC without the need for a subsequent referendum. Added to that has been an amendment that suggests a trial period during which the outcomes of any changes might be assessed.
The A.R.C. 2016 is in Bristol form 21st-23rd May, and there will be at least two members of the Audio Committee attending to propose and second the motion, as well as to discuss, debate and vote on motions brought by other committees and branches.
NOTE: In the event, two of our members, David Corden and Sheila Mitchell, attended. Ultimately, the motion as proposed was not carried. Afterwards, we asked Sheila to share a few thoughts about the conference and she wrote the following:
ARC 2016 was judged a success. It was largely centred on how to improve diversity and involve the grass-roots membership but there must be a question mark over that success when, 2 months later, the turn-out in the Council elections was lower than in 2014. If only 13% or less vote in elections and our annual meeting is reserved for those who are in effect activists should we once again be looking at a radical reform that stands the chance of involving a much wider tranche of the membership? Observer status at an ARC can only be frustrating – you cannot speak or vote, only observe. Should we make room for a gathering of members living in the area, the Saturday evening when away from London and the Sunday evening for Londoners? -SM
As we rapidly approach the latter part of the year, it will not be long before we need to start considering next year’s Conference. Please feel free to get in touch if you have ideas about any issues you feel should be raised.