Editing Equity (British trade union) (section)

==History==
Equity was created in 1930 by a group of [[West End of London|West End]] performers, including [[Godfrey Tearle]], [[May Whitty]] and [[Ben Webster (actor)|Ben Webster]]. They were advised by [[Robert Young (Islington North MP)|Robert Young]], the "Actors' MP".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cochrane |first1=Claire |title=Twentieth-Century British Theatre : Industry, Art and Empire. |date=2011 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=9780521464888 |pages=78–79}}</ref> Like many other British trade unions, Equity operated a [[closed shop]] policy, so it was not possible for someone to join unless they had a record of sufficient paid work and most jobs were reserved for Equity card holders. To allow new members to join, there were a limited number of non-card-holding jobs on regional productions. While working on these productions, actors held a provisional membership card, and could apply for full membership upon completing the requisite number of weeks, subsequently allowing them to work in the West End or on film and television.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Michael |author1-link=Michael Simkins |title=What's My Motivation? |date=2003 |publisher=Ebury Press |location=London |isbn=0091892295 |pages=69–70}}</ref>

As a result of reforms of trade unions by [[Margaret Thatcher]]'s [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government and the introduction of European legislation, closed-shop unions became illegal in the UK and Equity discontinued their closed-shop policy in the 1980s. However, to join Equity in the present day, evidence of sufficient paid professional work must still be provided.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.equity.org.uk/join-us/who-can-join-equity |title=Who can join Equity? |publisher=Equity |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> In 1976, Equity introduced a policy of refusing to sell programmes to the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation|SABC]], an action that led to a virtual ban of British television in [[South Africa under apartheid|apartheid-era South Africa]], which was not lifted until 1993.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ban-on-sale-of-tv-shows-to-south-africa-lifted-anti-apartheid-blockade-by-actors-union-dropped-1503272.html Ban on sale of TV shows to South Africa lifted: Anti-apartheid blockade by actors' union dropped following reform of broadcasting, but opposition to touring remains], ''[[The Independent]]'', 10 November 1993</ref>

The [[Clarence Derwent Awards]] are theatre awards given annually by Equity on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in the US and Equity UK in London's West End.

In regard to the [[2023 SAG-AFTRA strike]], Equity released a statement: 'Equity stands full square behind our sister union.'<ref> {{Cite web |title=Solidarity Statement & Advice - SAG-AFTRA Strikes 2023 |url=https://www.equity.org.uk/solidarity-statement-advice-regarding-sag-aftra-industrial-action-2023 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Equity |language=en}} </ref>