Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/618780
1969 1971 1972 1973 ➨ DGA-Producer Health Plan Established DGA Awards Expand to Five Television Categories >Movies for Television and Miniseries; Dramatic Series; Comedy Series; Musical Variety; and Documentary. John Rich is selected most outstanding TV director. Guild Renegotiates Motion Picture and Television Contracts >Gains jurisdiction over U.S.-backed foreign film production. Lifetime Membership Award to David Lean >An unprecedented group of directors turns out to honor Lean. Sheldon Leonard Elected Secretary- Treasurer >Serves until his death in 1997. Robert Wise Elected DGA President >Serves 1971-1975 Features and Free Television Residuals Expanded to Include Pay Television and Videocassettes DGA-Producer Pension and Health Plan CEO Lisa Read SHELDON LEONARD " In talking about the Directors Guild of America, the significant word is Guild. ... We are not concerned only about wages, hours, and working conditions, but we are also concerned about the creative aspects of our work. " >The DGA Health Plan was first negotiated as part of the 1968 Basic Agree- ment. Before that, the Guild operated what was known as the Voluntary Health and Welfare Plan, with members paying the entire cost. Director Hal Cooper, part of the ne- gotiations team and one of the new plan's trustees, introduced the plan to members at the 1969 An- nual Membership meeting by saying, "It's as good or better than any comparable plan of any guild, union, or other group in this country." One unique feature was that by design, the larger contributions of higher earning directors would be supporting all plan members. By the end of the first year, 1,220 members, including 398 retirees, were covered. Over the next three decades, Guild negotiators continued to fight for increases in employer con- tributions to support the plan and expand benefits, but in 2003, like most health plans across the country, it was facing financial peril. After extensive negotiations with the producers to increase plan contributions, Committee Chair Gil Cates was proud to report that "we have taken a health plan that was projected to have run through its reserves by 2008 to one that will have a healthy reserve of $40 million." By 2010 it was clear that costs were again in- creasing, and the Guild was able to negotiate the largest increase in employer contributions since the health plan was founded and secured its stability for more than 7,300 participants and their families, and continues right up until the present day. 1969 HEALTH PLAN ESTABLISHED 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS: DGA ARCHIVES; (BOTTOM, LEFT) BYRON GAMARRO 44 dga quarterly