Unions: Rehire staff, support Aussie artists.

Employers in the arts, entertainment and media sectors should begin re-hiring their workforces, says their union.

The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance says in the wake of yesterday’s announcement of an income subsidy for most Australian workers, those thinking about shedding workers should keep employees and contractors on their payroll.

The federal government’s ‘jobkeeper’ income support payments is a $1500 fortnightly subsidy, to assist employers to keep their permanent and long-term casual staff on the payroll.

But casual workers who have been employed in the same job for less than 12 months will miss out – a large cohort within the arts, entertainment and media sectors. MEAA believes the 12-month limit should be reduced to a more equitable period of time.

“The vast majority of workers in the arts and entertainment industries are employed in insecure jobs,” said MEAA Chief Executive Paul Murphy.

“Freelancers normally rely on income from job to job and gig to gig. This precarity meant that COVID-19 threatened to push them out of our industries and into the never-never.

“An income subsidy is vital to keep these people engaged with their regular places of work and to ensure the arts and entertainment industry is best-placed to rebound quickly once the current crisis is over.

“While more detail is required about how the income subsidy will operate, MEAA does welcome that the government has listened to concerns and ensured that sole traders/freelancers are not left on the outer.

“We now call on employers in the industries MEAA represent to urgently re-employ staff they have let go since the pandemic began to have an impact on the industry.

“We are all in this together, and when they combine the income subsidy with other forms of business support including payments to boost cash flow, employers should pull out all stops to keep workers on their payrolls.”

Australia’s music and screen production industries today announced the start of the AUSSIE MADE campaign starting from April to help support the local music and screen industries while at the same time capturing the imagination of more Australians as they ‘self-isolate’ during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Meanwhile, APRA AMCOS, ARIA and Screen Producers Australia are calling for audiences to support local artists, songwriters and production businesses.

“Broadcasters and digital platforms have a huge opportunity to build on Australia’s appetite for local content by exposing them to even more Australian music and screen content, ensuring that people can find it easily,” said Dean Ormston, CEO APRA AMCOS. “The depth of talent in our music and screen industries is already capturing the imagination of people around the world. By further promoting AUSSIE MADE, even more Australians can fall in love with the great Aussie content making its way around the globe.”

“With everyone at home, now is the time for all Australians to get behind our local artists and screen professionals” said Dan Rosen, CEO ARIA. “Like so many people around the country, artists and people that work in these sectors are facing a period of unemployment and uncertainty. Already thousands of live events and gigs have been cancelled and screen productions have been shut down. We have the opportunity to show we are behind them and ensure that income and support keep flowing to Australia’s vulnerable creative community.”

“Australian content has the ability to bring people together during this crisis, provide comfort and a strong sense of community,” said Matthew Deaner, CEO of SPA. “With AUSSIE MADE there’s a huge opportunity for Australians all around the country to renew their love of Australian music, tv shows and movies.”