Contract Primer

Currently, ADC offers its members three contract templates:

The first contact is the ADC – PACT contract. While not a collective agreement, per se, the ADC-PACT contract provides a foundation upon which to negotiate fair and equitable terms with PACT members. Only PACT members obliged to sign the ADC-PACT contract. If a theatre is an affiliate or not a member offer them the Independent/Dance contract (see below). To find out the status of a given theatre check www.pact.ca/who.cfm.

The contract consists of two parts: the cover sheet, which details the specifics of the agreement between you and the producer and the standard clauses, which provides the basic terms and conditions all ADC members enjoy. In addition to detailing working conditions and benefits, the standard terms oblige the PACT member to contribute 3% towards your RRSP and a $50 insurance premium.

You may negotiate better terms than the ADC-PACT contract provides but may not alter the standard clauses (nor, importantly, may the PACT member).

The second contract is the Independent/Dance contract. Use this contract when you are negotiating with an independent or PACT affiliate theatre. The Inde/Dance contract has two parts consisting of a cover sheet and standard terms. Both are similar in form and content to the ADC-PACT contract. However, there are important differences and therefore the Inde/Dance standard terms must be used with the Inde/Dance cover sheet.

Perhaps the most important difference between the ADC-PACT contract and the Inde/Dance contract is that the latter contains a bond clause. This clause requires that the producer remit to ADC a bond of not less than 34% of your total design fee. If the producer fails to pay all or part of your fees ADC will release the difference to you. Otherwise the bond goes back to the theatre. You may waive the bond clause but it is important to be sure that the theatre can and will pay you all that you are owed.

The third contract is the ADC-National Arts Centre contract, which ADC members have just ratified. The ADC-NAC contract is the result of ADC's status as an artists' association under the Status of the Artists Act. The Act obliges all federal bodies (i.e. government institutions) to negotiate agreements with recognized artists' associations. As such, the contract is more detailed and has more heft than the ADC-PACT contract because there is no law that forces PACT to the table.

Use this contract only if you are negotiating with any department of NAC other than English Language Theatre. In a rather confusing turn, English Language Theatre is covered by the ADC-PACT agreement.