All sounds good to me, and I like the AACE acronym. In terms of initiating change, of course, it has to be realised that we have just done is, in effect, draw up a 'petition of greivance': it did a great job of bringing to wider attention much current disatisfaction with the state of the acting industry in the lower echelons. I am glad that Equity seemed to wholeheartedly endorse the sentiments expressed. BUT we should not mistake this for a coherent manifesto for action or statement of policy; it is generally only through the application of direct legal or political pressure that actual changes in the industry can be formulated, and for that, the only organisation that can exert enough clout to affect such change is Equity. I get the impression that the campaigns teams, and indeed the Council, wholeheartedly believe that they have been fighting the very same battles against the preponderance of industry exploitation for at least 15 years (since the decline of the 'closed shop' Union). In terms of actual policy formation, they would presumably argue that they are acutely committed to bettering the lot of the individual actor within the workplace, and stamping out exploitation wherever they find it, so the call for action is simply an endorsment of their own ideals (and, indeed, they may question - when the best shield against exploitation is Equity membership - why more supporters of this petition are not registered Equity members!).
I believe that the true significance of the petition was, however, in the voice it gave to a 'grass roots' set of opinions; those who feel to a large extent as if the industry has itself connived in their increasing exploitation, and who feel that their difficulties are not given sufficient priority by organisations like e.g. the Equity Council.
The best possible use of the site to promote 'changes of mind' would be, I think, twofold: first, to maintain a presence in order that e.g. Equity attempts to take our concerns more seriously and secondly, to encourage many of the members of our profession who have decided that there is no point in politicising their viewpoint to realise that, on the contrary, there are perhaps issues we can campaign about, and press opinions on, that are of direct relevance to our day-to-day livelihoods.
