Are unions still relevant?

Trade Unions. For some the name evokes the image of striking workers and rabble rousers. For others they stand for solidarity and the desire for better conditions. For good or bad, most trade unions are in decline both in terms of membership and power. My own union has been bucking the trend a little. Equity, the entertainment union (or according to them the Union for creative practitioners), has an increasing membership and has signed deals with companies traditionally resistant to unionisation such as Netflix. 

I used to believe that Equity could help to fix our industry. Actors are the only people dumb enough to think it normal that job seekers should pay to find work. We're an industry that stubbornly defends the idea we should be judged on our looks (why else require a headshot?). Many of us choose to work for rates that are well below minimum wage because we need to be in work and earning something...anything. Unions are meant to stand up against this, and thankfully equity does its share of standing up to unfair terms and pay rates. Sadly, the other stuff like headshots and being judged on looks are more difficult for this member led organisation to tackle. Some members I've met honestly believe that it's necessary to have headshots. Ultimately, this is the core of some of the issues. The Union, as a member led organisation is split on many, many issues. 

That's not the only challenge that faces the Union though. Traditional unions are made up of branches that are all located in the same workplace. In retail for example, all of the members of a union from one store would make up a branch of that union. In Equity however, because most of us are considered self employed, this isn't possible and branches are structured regionally. There are branches that cover the region around Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol etc.

Despite the fact that many of these branches have over 300 members, their meetings frequently get small numbers turning out (10-30 members). This too has an impact which leads me to the conclusion that Equity as a union is losing its relevance. A local theatre might take 300 or so members seriously. It might consider that such a number represents the needs and requirements of local workers. When they see branches of just 15, why should they take those fifteen people seriously? Isn't it just easier to consider those fifteen people rabble rousers? In short, as long as unions find it difficult to engage their members, I fear that unions will become irrelevant.

You may not agree, but I couldn't help thinking about it.