Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16674
FOR MEMBERS Coalition Seeks Broader Actor Protections Worldwide S creen Actors Guild joined other actor unions and entertainment industry advocates in their support of finalizing an international treaty on audiovisual performances, which would enhance actors’ rights and protections worldwide. Representatives from member states affiliated with the World Intellectual Property Organization met June 21-24 in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss the draſt treaty articles and to consider a path toward completion. Te treaty would, for the first time, establish audiovisual performer rights on an international level. Tis will benefit performers in countries without unions or institutionalized legal AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Addresses Screen Actors Guild Leaders LEFT: National Executive Director David White and Richard Trumka. RIGHT: Secretary-Treasurer Amy Aquino, National Director of Government Relations and Policy Nancy Fox and Trumka. Screen Actors Guild Regional Branch Division on May 22 at their annual conference in Washington, D.C. T “SAG does such a great job of representing performing artists and is also doing more than ever as part of our entire union movement,” Trumka told the audience. “SAG’s active support of all workers’ rights has been crucial in keeping labor issues in the spotlight.” Trumka’s address touched on important issues to SAG members including digital theſt, so-called “right to work” states, and the power of political and legislative activism to enact laws to protect SAG members and win tax incentives to increase production. “SAG and other entertainment unions are at the forefront of protecting the rights of working performers across the digital media terrain,” he said. “Te online theſt of copyrighted works and the sale of illegal CDs and DVDs costs actors and other entertainment industry workers millions of dollars in wages, including residuals each year. Tey’re stealing from you, and that translates directly into fewer jobs, less compensation and reduced benefits for entertainment professionals. Te people you elect to Congress at the national level have the power to crack down on piracy — and they hold your residuals in their hands. Turning a blind eye to the theſt of copyrighted work is no different than permitting the theſt of the wages of any worker.” SAG President Ken Howard remarked, “When it comes to the entertainment industry, David White and John McGuire at WIPO protections, and will also benefit our members by providing new remedies for unauthorized performance use. “In 2000, WIPO delegates agreed on 19 articles, but failed to gain consensus on one final article,” said SAG Deputy National Executive Director and General Counsel Duncan Crabtree- Ireland. “Te Guild’s advocacy, along with that of our sister unions and the industry, has revived the treaty effort, and we hope that WIPO will move to hold a diplomatic conference in 2011 to complete this.” National Executive Director David White, Senior Advisor John McGuire and special advisor Robert Hadl attended, along with Crabtree-Ireland. we have no better friend in labor. President Trumka gets our issues.” Howard sits on the AFL-CIO Executive Council where he concentrates on issues that affect the Guild, the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, professional employees and the entertainment and media industries. In addition to Howard, other SAG leaders in attendance included SAG Secretary-Treasurer Amy Aquino, SAG 3rd National Vice President David Hartley-Margolin and SAG National Executive Director David White. Tri-Union I AM PWD, continued from page 11 must be on the forefront of social inclusion and the battle against all discrimination. Tis is perhaps even truer for those unions that operate in the entertainment business, which plays such an important role in molding social behavior and generating role models today. We all have a job to do in making sure that our industry is all-inclusive and non-discriminatory. We commend the U.S. actors unions for their I AM PWD campaign and are proud to stand by them in this inspiring drive for human rights and equality.” SAG President Ken Howard said, “Disability rights are human rights and we are pleased and proud that FIA and our colleagues across the globe have endorsed our I AM PWD effort. Tis is an important undertaking that is made even more powerful by the recent addition of the Alliance of Cinema, Television and Radio Artists as our first international partner.” For more information about I AM PWD, go to iampwd.org. HELP FOR MEMBERS: Emergency financial assistance in times of crisis is available for eligible SAG members through the SAG Foundation (sagfoundation.org). Members in New York and east of Omaha, Neb. should contact the SAG Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund (SAG.org/mppwf), (212) 221-7300, ext. 119. 12 SCREEN ACTOR - Summer 2010 SAG.org he nation’s top union leader, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, addressed leaders from the