Performers' Collective Agreement
Latest update: August 2024
Live Performance Australia (LPA) and the Media, Entertainment, Arts Alliance (MEAA) have reached agreement on a new Performers’ Collective Agreement.
Rates of pay
MEAA and LPA have reached agreement on rates of pay with base rates increasing 1 August 2024 to the following:
| Base rate (No Sunday performance) |
One Sunday Performance |
Two Sunday Performances | |
| PERFORMER CATEGORY 1 |
$1,248.93 |
$1,383.42 |
$1,539.42 |
| PERFORMER CATEGORY 2 |
$1,321.12 |
$1,455.61 |
$1,611.61 |
The full PCA Schedule 1 – Rates of Pay as at 1 August 2024 are available here.
The increase to rates of pay:
- apply to minimum rates of pay for performers engaged under the PCA; and
- took effect from the first full period on or after 1 August 2024.
Other terms and conditions
MEAA and LPA have reached agreement on many other issues that will provide an improved PCA for our contemporary workplaces, including:
- First Nations cultural leave
- family and domestic violence leave
- cultural consultants
- pay for rehearsals
- work hours limited to 120 hours per fortnight
- clarified travel allowance eligibility
- personal leave on commencement
- plain English drafting
- new definition for ‘featured ensemble’ role
- nine show weeks limits
LPA will now finalise drafting the PCA and address other matters agreed during the negotiations that are external to PCA, including:
- template digital recording and distribution agreements
- intimacy guidelines for the live performance industry
- self-tape guidelines
A table with more detail on the matters agreed and to be drafted in the coming months can be found here.
Employees affected
This wage increase will only apply to minimum PCA rates of pay.
There is no obligation to provide this increase to performers who receive payments that are above the PCA rates, for example, employees on higher weekly rates of pay (such as a higher negotiated rate/personal margin).
Performers who are engaged under the Live Performance Award 2020, will not be affected by this wage increase.
Quick Links
Wages, Awards & Conditions
The awards that apply to the live performance industry, the exhibition industry and the cinema industry are:
- The Live Performance Award 2010
- The Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2010
- The Broadcasting Recorded Entertainment and Cinemas Award 2010
- The Clerks-Private Sector Award 2010
Employment Contracts
We have developed a selection of contract templates covering full time and casual employment for performers, crew and musicians for you to use as a starting point in creating your own contracts.
Employment Policies
We have created a range of workplace policies covering topics such as child safety, workplace bullying and annual leave.
Work Health & Safety
Under work health and safety legislation, your responsibility as an employer is to:
- maintain a safe workplace
- maintain current workers’ compensation insurance
- protect yourself and your workers from financial hardship in the event of a workplace injury
To assist you with this, our comprehensive suite of work health and safety guides for the entertainment and event industries give you an overview of the best practice and regulatory requirements.
We encourage all Members and non-members to use these guidelines to ensure a consistent approach to work health and safety in the industry.
Click below for a complete list of work health and safety resources.
Mental Health
As part of our commitment to promoting the physical and mental wellbeing of people working in our industry, we support a number of initiatives that promote mentally healthy workplaces, including:
Arts Centre Melbourne’s ‘Arts Wellbeing Collective’
The Arts Wellbeing Collective is a program that supports mental health for workers in the arts sector. We were a major sponsor of the pilot program. www.artswellbeingcollective.com.au/
Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment
The purpose of the Australian Alliance for Wellness in Entertainment is to develop and action a Prevention First Framework for Mental Health in the Australian Entertainment Industry. We are a committee member.
https://www.entertainmentassist.org.au/
Heads Up Campaign
The Heads Up Campaign is a national awareness campaign led by Beyond Blue and the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance. https://www.headsup.org.au/
Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance
The Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance brings together business, unions, the mental health sector and regulators to promote mentally healthy workplaces. We are a member.
https://www.headsup.org.au/general/about-us/mentally-healthy-workplace-alliance
Support Act’s 24/7 Wellbeing Helpline
Support Act is an Australian charity that assists artists and music workers who are facing hardship due to illness, injury or some other crisis that impacts on their ability to work in music. https://supportact.org.au/wellbeinghelpline/
Click below for more information on these initiatives.
Safe and Respectful Workplaces
All employees have the right not to be bullied, harassed, sexually harassed or discriminated against in the workplace. Workplaces should be non-threatening, respectful, safe, and free from all forms of harassment.
Our Prevention of Workplace Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Harassment and Bullying Code of Practice is mandatory for all Members.
The code is organised in two parts:
- PART A – A guide for employers, including an overview of the relevant legislative framework and obligations, as well as best practice guidance on steps you can take to effectively prevent and respond to discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.
- PART B – Templates and resources to assist you in developing new policies and procedures.
Click below for links to the Code, templates and FAQs.
Employment Fact sheets
We have created a range of workplace fact sheets covering topics such as superannuation, annual leave, public holidays, unpaid work and volunteers, redundancy and workers compensation.