The ad industry’s united front in its dispute with the actors’
union, Equity, is in danger of crumbling after a call by production
company representatives for deadlocked talks to be resumed.
The call by the Advertising Film and Videotape Producers’ Association
has provoked fury from other industry negotiators who accuse it of
breaking ranks without consultation and causing them severe
embarrassment.
The AFVPA’s action is understood to have been sparked by fears that
production companies are losing business as the nine-week commercials
boycott by Equity members causes more films to be postponed or moved
abroad.
But a letter from Cecilia Garnett, the AFVPA’s chairman, to 40 agency
heads of TV in which she urges a return to the negotiating table has
been condemned as ’an act of stupidity’ by other employers’
representatives.
Until now, the AFVPA, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and
the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers have taken an
uncompromising line in their demand for a revised system of voiceover
payments, which they claim are out of line with payments to on-screen
actors.
’The AFVPA has done real damage to our cause,’ a source close to the
industry negotiating team said. ’It will lengthen the dispute because it
will give Equity false hope.’
The AFVPA’s move was due to be discussed at a meeting of the employers’
joint negotiating team this Thursday. ’We hope the association will stay
with us,’ an insider said.
Agency chiefs accuse the AFVPA of acting precipitously, claiming the
dispute has not yet been unduly disruptive. ’It’s a pain but we haven’t
reached a stage where we have to give in,’ one said.
An Equity spokesperson said: ’We would welcome an approach from the
employers for new talks without preconditions.’ Garnett was unavailable
for comment.
