Actors’ Equity Association - Eastern Principal Councilor

Thank you for your vote!!!

Fair wages; safe, diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environments; profit participation; and a strong and proud membership empowered with information and solidarity.

These are my priorities as your representative.

Current Committees:

Co-Chair of the Committee to Prevent Harassment and Hostile Work Environments; Equal Opportunity Committee (EEOC); member of d/Deaf/hard of hearing Working Group

Current goals:

  • Negotiate for wages that fairly keep up with inflation and what it takes to make a living; and respect and honor our art, our work, our labor.

  • Get stronger language into contracts to ensure our safety; ensure theaters are using Intimacy Direction and Cultural Consultation in a way that works for our members; strengthen accountability and repercussions for both one time and repeat offenders in a way protects us; better communicate how the Union can support you by clarifying how reporting works and what your resources, rights and protections are.

  • Achieve participation in profits and in protecting how our work is credited and recognized.

  • In policy, in communication, in practice, and in partnership with all regions, change the culture of distrust and disappointment in AEA into one of pride and solidarity by improving communication and organization.

Past achievements, together we have:

  • Passed the  #JudgeitbytheBudget policy that asks negotiating teams to look at a theater’s entire source of revenue when making push for fairer wages;

  • Achieved record salary increases on contracts all over the country;

  • Negotiated DEI and anti-harassment language into contracts and demanded accountability from producers for making our workspaces safer and more productive for all; 

  • Pushed for staff to get more support and training in how to handle harassment cases;  

  • Made historic strides in negotiating profit participation for members; 

  • Improved member communication with a better website, and weekly newsletter, 

  • Empowered more members to contact their business reps to be able to address workplace issues with full support of the Union.

I’d love to hear from you about your blue sky dreams for our workplaces. Please reach out with any questions, comments or concerns by emailing me via my AEA address: ckarpen@actorsequity.org.