THE July 26 news that ‘ACTRA members say yes to extras’ has redirected the spotlight to the issues surrounding the representation of background performers.

ACTRA, which represents actors in provinces across Canada except B.C., says it has received 89% member support for a referendum mailed to 11,000 full members in June advocating a ‘new category of membership to include background performers into the union.’

Issues around extras – a term which can either refer to ACTRA members working in the background, or non-ACTRA members, so-called ‘cash extras,’ working in the background – have been bubbling steadily since early 1999 when a new group called PACT began efforts to represent cash extras. PACT argued there’s little distinction in ability between cash extras and ACTRA members who sometimes work as BG performers, but their pay and working conditions vary vastly. For instance, ACTRA BGPs earn $18.50/hour under the current contract, but cash extras earn $8/hour.

ACTRA has now established a caucus for cash extras, but they will not become full voting members. The ACTRA website says ACTRA Extras are ‘protected by the ACTRA Agreements and have input at the local level on day-to-day issues as well as input into the wages and working conditions process…. Please note that the right to vote only extends as far as the ACTRA Extras Caucus, and strike and ratification votes on agreements under which these members work. Voting privileges for Local Councils and Constitutional referenda are not granted to ACTRA Extras.’

This restriction on ‘the vote and voice’ of cash extras frustrates executives representing PACT, now known as PACT/CMG following its January, 2000 merger with the Canadian Media Guild. PACT/CMG says extras will have to pay a $75 fee plus $30 in dues but will still not be allowed one-person-one vote status. PACT/CMG president Charlie Fife says until cash extras attain that status, ‘we won’t give up our fight’ to represent them.

But ACTRA National Executive Director Stephen Waddell says he expects ‘a handful of diehards only’ will remain loyal to PACT/CMG, while the majority will apply to join the new caucus. ‘There had to [have been] some unhappiness [among cash extras] for there to be fertile ground to get their attention by another union. ACTRA hadn’t paid any significant attention to this group of background performers. Now we are paying attention and they are a priority.’