Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1114369
For Members 14 SAG-AFTRA | Spring 2019 | sagaftra.org 80 70 70 100 10.2 7.4 7.4 100 100 100 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 70 70 40 70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 20 70 70 3.1 2.2 2.2 70 40 40 75 66 66 50 40 40 25 19 19 B 0 0 0 0 100 70 30 100 10 25 50 75 90 100 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 40 70 40 70 30 100 40 40 100 40 100 40 70 40 70 40 40 3 40 70 40 70 40 40 100 60 A 3% ISO 12647-7 Digital Control Strip 2009 Clyde Kusatsu was recognized for chairing the successful It's A Laugh Productions negotiations. Finally, Carteris updated the board on recent negotiations with Entercom, introducing a statement of support for members working at these stations who are seeking to maintain and improve their working conditions, retain job protections and negotiate changing work in increasingly digitally focused newsrooms. The board unanimously approved the statement which was then sent to Entercom and released publicly. National Executive Director David White gave brief remarks about the union's ongoing fight against deepfakes. White also discussed the new Commercials Contracts tentative agreement, calling the new deal "the purest form of collective bargaining." White also provided an update on the pension, health and retirement plans. White was joined by Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Daniel Inukai and Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Pamela Greenwalt, who highlighted the union's innovation updates. They reviewed the upcoming nationwide launch of residuals direct deposit and online event management, which includes QR code scanning of a member's card at future SAG-AFTRA events. The board received a finance report from Secretary-Treasurer Jane Austin and Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto. Austin and Ozzanto reported that both revenue and expenses are tracking closely to budget for the third quarter. The fiscal year 2020 budget was approved without objection. In addition, the National Board heard details of the tentative agreement reached on March 15, 2019, with It's A Laugh Productions, Inc. for a successor agreement to its 2014-2017 agreement. The new three-year term was approved by acclamation. Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon reported on Executive Committee actions and provided an update on planning for the upcoming biennial convention, and several governance and administrative recommendations. Crabtree-Ireland and New York Local Executive Director/Chief Deputy General Counsel, Legal and Government Affairs Jeffrey Bennett updated the board on the union's ongoing effort to preserve and enhance copyright protections, including recent developments in international copyright law. They also updated the board on the effort to improve qualified performing artists deductions in the tax code, and reported on SAG-AFTRA's advocacy to maintain funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They also updated the board on legislative efforts in New York and California that enhance members' legal protections over the digital use of their images, with a specific focus on digitally created sexually explicit material, and detailed some of the benefits artists receive from the Music Modernization Act, which was passed into law last October. At its Feb. 2 meeting, the National Board voted to renew the employment agreement of National Executive Director David White. White's new contract now runs through February 1, 2023. Carteris said, "I am thrilled that the National Board overwhelmingly voted to ensure David's executive expertise and stewardship of SAG-AFTRA's operations will continue for another four years. It speaks to the strength and stability of this union and our forward vision." "SAG-AFTRA is a truly extraordinary organization and I continue to be excited and energized by the opportunity to lead this operation," White said. "I look forward to continuing my partnership with our members, our elected leaders and the talented staff of this union. I want to thank President Carteris, the officers and the National Board for their confidence and giving me this opportunity to serve." In other business, the board approved two new agreements in the interactive space. The new Low Budget Video Game Agreement and Interactive Localization Agreement were created in partnership with video game producers to create more opportunities for SAG-AFTRA members to work in parts of the industry that were previously unorganized. Video games under $1.5 million now have access to the world-class talent of the SAG-AFTRA membership in an accessible rate structure. Members have been working with developers under this agreement to create award-winning games in a truly collaborative fashion. The Interactive Localization Agreement was created to reach an area of the industry, foreign video games that are recorded in English, that has historically been non-union. With input from the industry, the union's contracts representatives heard the specific needs of foreign developers and created an agreement that fairly compensates members while granting foreign companies a structure that gives them the flexibility of asset use that they require. NATIONAL BOARD Continues from page 8 SAG-AFTRA'S W&Ws NEED YOUR INPUT SAG-AFTRA is gearing up for a critical period that will have a huge impact on members — and the union needs to hear from you. With the television and theatrical contracts set to expire June 30 next year, the union will be holding a series of meetings to get member input on what should be in the next contracts. At its meeting on the weekend of April 12, the National Board approved the establishment of the National TV/Theatrical Contracts Wages & Working Conditions Plenary and Negotiating Committee, and appointed President Gabrielle Carteris chair. Known as the wages and working conditions process, or W&W for short, the meetings are the most direct way members can influence the contracts under which they work. The negotiating committees and staff use the information gathered from these sessions to understand what contract provisions are most important to members. In the give-and-take process of negotiation, it's important to know the relative value members place on the various provisions to secure the best deal possible. The W&W process will be taking place in May and June. A national W&W kickoff and landscape presentation is scheduled on May 2. Check the page for your local at sagaftra.org for dates and times of meetings. Notifications will also be emailed to members whose email address is on file.