Despite the commitment of the Legault government at the start of his mandate, the laws on the status of the artist have still not been reformed one year before the elections, to the great despair of the cultural community, which has been calling for this overhaul for several years. A few dozen artists also wanted to express their impatience on Friday during a demonstration organized in Montreal near the offices of the Minister of Culture, in the Quartier des spectacles.
“The current laws allow artists to negotiate their work with a presenter, but that does not give the same power to certain categories of artists, such as visual artists and authors. What we are asking is to rebalance this negotiating power, ”summarizes Ariane DesLions, a children’s singer from Sherbrooke who had traveled to Montreal to participate in this gathering.
Mme DesLions is counting on the reform of the two laws governing the status of the artist to improve his working conditions. Because although she has been rolling her bump for six years and is known in her region, Ariane DesLions is not eligible for the protection of her union, the Union des artistes (UDA). When signing a contract, its floor conditions are those enshrined in status of the artist laws, among others.
“People think artists just have to go to UDA to be protected, but it doesn’t work that way. I am a member of the UDA, but to benefit from the protection, you must have 30 credits. Me, after six years, I only have two, since the producers who hire me are not recognized by the UDA ”, she explains, specifying that several artists are in the same situation as she.
Promise reiterated
However, the laws that are supposed to protect them lack bite, in their opinion. In particular, they deplore not being protected by the occupational health and safety standards by virtue of these.
“The psychological and sexual harassment policies do not even apply! We can no longer tolerate that in 2021, ”launches, indignantly, the member for Quebec solidaire Manon Massé, who does not understand why the Minister of Culture is delaying in presenting her bill.
In Minister Nathalie Roy’s office, they retort that this is complex legislation. However, we are assured that a bill will be tabled by the end of the mandate.