SAG-AFTRA

Spring 2014

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SAGAFTRA.org | Spring 2014 | SAG-AFTRA 5 A Letter from the President KEN HOWARD "Residuals are a crucial lifeline for actors and speeding up delivery of these payments is a terrific achievement." Dear Member, I have great news about an issue that has direct impact on the daily lives of SAG-AFTRA members. National Executive Director David White and his remarkable staff team have accomplished something many would have thought impossible just a year ago. I am talking about the dramatic improvement in our residuals processing times from approximately 90 days to less than 30 days. Residuals are a crucial lifeline for actors and speeding up delivery of these payments is a terrific achievement. (Read more on page 12.) I am also pleased to report that we start negotiations on our TV/eatrical contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on May 5. Serving as chair of our negotiating committee is both an honor and important responsibility. e member-led wages and working conditions process is a key strength of our union and helps us better understand our members' needs. I was privileged to attend meetings across the country, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Houston — all of which held dynamic W&W sessions. e committee vice chairs are Los Angeles Local President and National Vice President Clyde Kusatsu, New York Local President and National Vice President Mike Hodge, and Atlanta Local First Vice President Mike Pniewski. Along with liaison Tom Kemp, they were an immense help in this process and I commend them for their service to the members. In February, the AFL-CIO Executive Council, on which I serve as vice president, convened in Houston for its winter meeting. I'm pleased to report that the council passed SAG- AFTRA's resolution of support for the WIPO Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances. Ratification of this treaty in countries throughout the world will provide crucial protections for our members. I was very proud to introduce that motion and grateful to see it unanimously passed by my national labor colleagues. I want to thank SAG-AFTRA's Broadcast Steering Committee for the opportunity to attend its recent meeting in New York. Vice President, Broadcasters Catherine Brown; Broadcast Steering Committee Chair Joe Krebs; and Vice Chair Jayne Bower, along with the other members of the BSC, are taking on many key issues faced by this sector of our membership and I was privileged to join them. eir meeting was held in the boardroom of our new offices at 1900 Broadway. Aer almost two years with our staff still working out of the separate legacy offices, our new home in New York opened in January and is functioning beautifully. e office is efficient, attractive and convenient to the major broadcast centers and the performing arts facilities of nearby Lincoln Center. Congratulations New York members and thanks to New York Local President Mike Hodge and the New York Local board for everything they did to make it a smooth transition from the old facilities. is is just another in a long line of successful transitions for our members. In March, the union held a historic live-stream event, Just Say ¡Sí!, looking at the growing opportunities in the Latino media market. e event featured actors, broadcasters and recording artists on panels in Los Angeles, New York and Miami, and viewing parties in seven other locals. I want to salute the leadership team that brought this together, including Spanish Language Media Committee Chair Hernán de Béky, vice chairs Manny Alfaro and Memo Sauceda, MOVE Los Angeles Chair Ellen Crawford, MOVE New York Chair Rebecca Damon and event Chair Mike Genovese. Member service and enrichment is the common thread in all of this. SAG-AFTRA members may work in different parts of the entertainment and media industry, but we all care about the same things: strong contracts, abundant jobs and the opportunity to build thriving careers doing the work that we love. So, happy second anniversary SAG-AFTRA! We're on the right track and stronger than ever. In unity, Ken Howard 05_preslttr_F.indd 5 4/23/14 11:39 AM

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