ACTRA Performers Guild has applied to Labour Canada to appoint a conciliator to bring to a close a seven-month contract dispute with the Institute of Canadian Advertising and Association of Canadian Advertisers over the expired Commercial Agreement.

According to actra communications director Alex Gill, the ica/aca wants to restructure use fees for actors whose images appear in commercials but who do not speak lines.

Such actors are currently represented by the silent on camera category in the Commercial Agreement, which entitles them to a flat-rate performance fee ($520 minimum for an eight-hour day) as well as use fees.

The rate of the use fee is calculated by the potential audience of the commercial and the length of the commercial run. For a national commercial shown over a 13-week period on two networks, a performer would receive a minimum of $800.44 in use fees, says Stephen Waddell, president of actra.

The ica/aca, he says, is insisting on changing this fee structure to a one-time only performance fee without any residuals.

Another issue is health and safety. For example, actra is insisting that stunt coordinators be present at all shoots involving stunts, and Waddell says the ica/aca is resisting this measure.

‘This is the first time we have ever asked for a conciliator in the commercial area,’ says Gill. ‘This demonstrates how grave a situation it is.’

The Commercial Agreement, covering all performers working on tv and radio commercials, expired March 31, but negotiations have been ongoing since last November.

actra hopes a conciliator will help the parties come to an equitable agreement. If a conciliator does not bridge the gap in the negotiations, the next option is a strike vote, says Waddell.

At press time, calls to the ica and aca had not been returned.