Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/129167
For Members SAG-AFTRA PREMIERES AT SXSW 2013 S AG-AFTRA teamed up with SAGIndie and the SAG Foundation for a host of panels, workshops, receptions and a trade show booth for the 2013 South By Southwest Conference and Festival (SXSW) March 8-17 in Austin, Texas. his year's event drew close to 50,000 visitors from around the world. he union's presence was solid throughout SXSW and its three distinctive tracks of Interactive, Music, and Film. Many SAG-AFTRA members, as well as pre-union talent and producers, stopped by the booth to learn more about the new union, low-budget production incentives and the union presence in new media. SAG-AFTRA New Media, SXM and Break Media cohosted a reception honoring the online series and SAG-AFTRA new media production Armed Response. SAGIndie also cohosted a happy hour reception with its sister guilds, the Writers Guild of America, West and the Directors Guild of America. In addition to the networking opportunities, member education and outreach was highlighted through the SAG Foundation's series of skill-enhancing Casting Access Project workshops and an oicial SXSW educational panel, where attendees met with prominent casting directors. Ater the ilm and interactive portion ended, SXSW Music was in full swing, with representatives of SAG-AFTRA's Sound Recordings department, including Assistant National Executive Director, Sound Recordings Randall Himes, attending various panels, showcases and receptions. RIGHT TO WORK — FOR LESS S o-called "right-to-work" laws have made national headlines recently. It sounds benign enough – who doesn't want the right to work? But, cloaked in a friendlysounding phrase, the real intent of "rightto-work" laws is to undermine unions so that employers can pay their workers lower wages. On that, "right-towork" laws have been successful: he average workers in states with these laws earn less than their counterparts in union-secure states. Speciically, "right-to-work" laws prohibit agreements between management and unions that make union membership a requirement for employment. What that means in practice is that employees at a unionized workplace don't have to join the union to enjoy all the beneits. Under this freeloader system, there's little incentive for employees to pay union dues. Without funds, the union can't aford to hire negotiators and legal experts to advocate on its members' behalf, its entire reason for existing. Without the power of collective bargaining, wages deteriorate. Still, more and more states continue to attempt to pass this anti-worker legislation. Ignoring the voices of thousands of angry citizens, lawmakers, acting during a lame duck session last December, RTW 18 SAG-AFTRA | Spring 2013 | SAGAFTRA.org Click here for photos With a booth and workshops, the union had a strong presence at SXSW. Above, Assistant National Executive Director, Sound Recordings Randall Himes (in green) meets with Blue Sky Riders, comprised of SAG-AFTRA members Kenny Loggins, left, Nashville Local Board member Georgia Middleman and Gary Burr. made Michigan a "right-to-work" state with no opportunity for debate. On Dec. 11, 2012, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed the newly passed legislation into law. Michigan has historically held the position as the quintessential state of union support, so the message was obvious: If it can happen in Michigan, it can happen almost anywhere. While the law is currently under legal challenge, Michigan's new status has strengthened the "right-to-work" foothold in the country's industrial base and threatened the prosperity of not only SAG-AFTRA members, but of working families in many industries. As of press time, "right-towork" bills were moving through the Missouri Legislature, and SAG-AFTRA was encouraging members of the Missouri Valley Local to contact their elected representatives to oppose the bills.