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Soap Stars Face Strike Over Pay Cuts
8 Mar
Summary
- Actors may lose one-sixth of annual income due to new contracts.
- Union Equity is balloting members over potential strike action.
- Some stars are reportedly worried about paying their bills.
Actors from the popular ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale are reportedly on the verge of striking. This potential action stems from recent communications from ITV management announcing substantial pay cuts and a reduction in filming schedules.
The new contracts, effective from August, are understood to reduce actors' earnings by approximately one-sixth. This unilateral decision has caused significant uproar among the cast, with many expressing worry about their financial stability and ability to meet basic bills. The situation has led to the acting union Equity being contacted for support.
Equity is currently supporting its members and is reportedly preparing to ballot them on whether to proceed with strike action. While some long-serving cast members may be protected by older contracts, newcomers and those on per-episode deals are particularly affected by the 'pay-as-you-play' changes. This controversy comes amidst other schedule adjustments for the soaps, including their temporary cancellation for sporting events.
