Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1251534
13 SAG-AFTRA | Spring 2020 | sagaftra.org the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. This was a monumental victory that put money directly in our members' hands at a time when they are unable to earn income. SAG-AFTRA staff have been working diligently to ensure that we receive our residuals regularly. Our dedicated staff have been physically going into the office to process and send residuals checks. Furthermore, our Contracts Department is fighting hard to enforce contracts and secure every dollar due to our members affected by the shutdown. Simultaneously, they are negotiating with industry employers for a strong TV/Theatrical/ New Media contract. Our union's ability to negotiate is more important than ever. We cannot afford to divert resources away from this crucial effort. We have to continue to plan for the future, even while the present is uncertain. Our paramount concern in planning for the future is assuring health and safety on set. We've been working with sister unions and industry groups to develop recommendations for safer sets. This will allow production to open up as soon as possible. Using your dues to fight these battles will provide you with more extensive financial relief and protections. If you can possibly afford to pay your dues, please do. We are extremely grateful that so many Dear Fellow Union Member, W hen I sat down to write this letter, my sole intent was to relay the financial facts of our union with transparency and clarity. Many of you have asked why you still have to pay dues, even though the industry is shut down and performers are not working. I want to use this letter to help you understand why the union chose to offer dues extensions instead of waiving a portion of your dues, and I want to explain how your dues were used to provide more substantial financial relief and support. The union has two sources of income: dues and initiation fees. This income pays our support staff, communications, finance and legal teams, facilities and memberships to larger labor federations, which advocate on our behalf. If we had suspended dues for 160,000 members, we would have impacted our ability to serve and protect members during this uncertain time. Many performers do not qualify for traditional unemployment for various reasons, including working as independent contractors, working under a loan-out, and working for multiple employers for short periods. SAG-AFTRA successfully lobbied to include these performers in the CARES Act by securing coverage through members have stepped up and paid — the sacrifices many have made to support our union do not go unappreciated. Because of the industry shutdown there are fewer members working and potentially reduced revenue. With a strategic reduction of 20 percent in overall expenses and a 6 percent infusion from reserves, we were able to close the gap and balance our budget while maximizing resources without disruption to member services. Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto and her team worked tirelessly to perform a rigorous analysis of our operating expenses and we implemented necessary expense reductions where reasonable. I also want to highlight that immediately after the industry shutdown began, our top staff voluntarily took a 20% pay cut to help protect the union and preserve resources. As always, our top priority is serving members as we weather this storm. When the industry is ready to open up, we will be ready with strong contracts, safety protocols, resources and support for our members. In health and solidarity, Camryn Manheim C A M R Y N M A N H E I M " The sacrifices many have made to support our union do not go unappreciated. "