... SIR,--On the question of performers' fees, Mr. Bygraves suggests a new scale of charges and goes on to say a theatrical management pays for the scale of charge laid down He does not however suggest who is to calculate such charges and on what basis. Are all comedians to receive the same fee, regardless of talent? If the charges were to be based on drawing power, presumably the ...

... SIR,--In writing about the Equity Fighting Fund, Max Bygraves seems to make a great deal of sense. Equity do seem to be making very hard work of what, admittedly given a revolution ary change of heart, could be a pretty simple operation. It is obvious that the scale of charges for the employment of actors must go up, but I fail to see that there is any need for a fight. To use that word ...

... SIR,-- Is Mr. Max Bygraves really so innocent of the ways of the world? Does he think a trade union only has to state its views on the rate for the job, whereupon that rate will automatically be paid? If things are so simple, I wonder what the history of the Labour Movement over the past hundred and fifty years has all been about. Why did the dockers have to go on strike in 1889 to win ...

... STAGE MANAGEMENT SIR, All stage managers will have felt a pang of recognition and fellow-feeling on reading P. M. Church's cry of anger and frustra tion. One might add that all ex- stage managers will have felt the same pang, tempered with relief that they are no longer in a posi tion to suffer in this way. Equity's Survey of Employment and Earnings for 1971 showed that 80 per cent of stage ...

... Equity SIR,--The staff attitude of Equity is well portrayed by Stephen Sylvester when he begins, ''I have always suspected the motives, and then ends his letter without reminding your readers that he was formerly Mr Croasdell's tant. With regard to my letter in The Scotsman during the Living Wage Campaign, this had nothing to do with wages nor did I depreciate Equity's efforts to tnprove ...

... Sir,-- Frederick Jaeger's asto nishing attack on the new Equity Council was obviously written be fore the Council had even held it's first meeting. Many of the new Councillors have never offered themselves for election before and therefore no one, not even Mr Jae ger, can have any idea of what sort of Equity Councillors they 'vill make It is high time that the constant yelling of right-wing ...

... UNFINISHED BUSINESS SIR. Resolution C/T (Cinema Television) the ten year clause. As this motion was one of a num ber which regrettably were not reached before the close of the Equity AGM, and as the ninety-six signatories covered such a range of members (from rank and file to stars and directors), I trust I may be permitted a few lines to assure those members and others that this has been ...

... SECOND CLASS Sir,-- After having been a full member of my trade union. Equity, for 25 years, I suddenly find myself reduced by democratic decision to second-class membership without right to sit with my fellow members-- should I be elected-- on the Council of my union. My voice is suspect. My interest is declared to be against that of my union. I am counted among the exploiters. And that ...

... CLOSED SHOP SIR. Ever since the Industrial Relations Act the policies of the Equity Council have been attacked by many members, including Brian McDermott, over the closed shop issue. Now that there is a closed shop and the head is off the chicken, what do we get? A one-man cam paign to overturn the crucial de claration of 1934 the original closed shop on the grounds that merit must be the only ...

... Sir. This is my experience of Equity. I recently applied for mem bership and was told I could not join unless I sent my current con tract. I could not have my contract without an Equity Card. Considering that I was a member of the VAF for very many years I do not consider that they are justi fied in withholding membership when I am prepared to pay the sub scription. I was one of the many who ...

... Lack of vision in finding new talent Dear Sir, The wrong assumptions in last week's Editorial need to be challenged. LETTERS The statement that It would be naive to imagine that there are even a few great singers and comics just waiting for their chance on television, or writers who can write side splitting humour seems to me to deserve the just retort, How do you know there aren't? By what ...

... TECHNICIANS Sir,-- With reference to the article Where are the Technicians of Tomorrow, may I pass a few comments as a technician with over 40 years' experience? firstly, 1 was surprised with John Bury's approach to the stage designer, in as much that he would ask the technician How can I do this? Surely a competent stage designer worth his salt, should be fully conversant with scenery con ...