Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/184869
A Letter from the National Executive Director D AV ID W H IT E "These first days of post-election governance are a time for inspiration as well as for the tenacious, hard work of day-to-day unionism." Dear Member, T his fall begins a momentous period in the life of SAG-AFTRA. We have just successfully completed our first set of nationwide elections for the merged union. Over the coming months, our newly elected leaders will gather together in local boardrooms across the country to discuss and map out major events and member activities for the coming year. In just a few weeks, the fresh faces of delegates chosen to represent their peers from around the country will gather in Los Angeles for our opening biennial convention to celebrate together, attend seminars on various strategic issues, conduct the official work of the convention, and commiserate and share ideas on how to activate and prepare members in their locals for the many challenges that lie ahead for this union. These first days of post-election governance are a time for inspiration as well as for the tenacious, hard work of day-to-day unionism. To all newly elected board members, to the elected convention delegates and to our first elected national officers, President Ken Howard and SecretaryTreasurer Amy Aquino, your staff sends to each of you our hearty congratulations. 8 SAG-AFTRA 8-9_NEDlttr_v1.indd 8 We look forward to working in partnership with you to advance the strategic priorities of SAG-AFTRA during this exciting and eventful year. We also send our deep gratitude and respect to those who served this past year but will not be returning to elected office. As part of the transitional national board of directors and local leadership teams, these members have given untold hours of volunteer time to engage in the uniquely demanding work of integrating our two predecessor unions. They served with passion and dedication and, as we move forward, we build on the dynamic energy they infused throughout their work. The considerable challenges we face at this time are as consequential as any that I can remember. We will engage in major negotiations in at least three contract areas: Broadcast News, Entertainment (including our TV/Theatrical/Exhibit A agreements and our Network Code agreement) and Sound Recordings. We must support our trustees as they endeavor to complete the complicated work of combining the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds with the SAGProducers Pension and Health Plans. We must innovate and find new ways to organize work for our members, particularly under our Commercials agreement. And we remain focused on strengthening the basic, operational machinery of this new union, especially in the complex area of residuals processing, a problem that can ultimately be solved only by the coordinated efforts of many entities throughout the industry. As fundamental as any of the above issues, our new leaders must continue the work of forging a strong, unified culture for SAG-AFTRA that endures the regular intervals of political disagreements and the concerns of any particular period. A powerful and resilient culture, with which all members can identify and that buoys them as they strive to make a living under our contracts, is essential to the strength and progress of this union. I look forward to seeing your representatives at the convention to officially commence this exciting period. Your staff is eager to work with each and all of you to continue our progress towards the remarkable future that awaits SAG-AFTRA. In unity and looking forward, David P. White | Summer 2013 | SAGAFTRA.org 9/3/13 3:31 PM