Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/377629
SAGAFTRA.org | Summer 2014 | SAG-AFTRA 5 A Letter from the President K E N H O WA R D "The greatest achievement may be the full realization of our unshakeable unity and enhanced bargaining strength." Dear Member, C ongratulations on the ratification of our new three-year contract covering the motion picture and television industry. With your 92-percent "yes" vote, the hard-fought improvements we won in bargaining with our employers are now in effect. Among the many achievements of this negotiation, we secured meaningful economic improvements that substantially advance the interests of members. The new agreement also unifies our previous patchwork of primetime television contracts into one industrywide set of terms for movies, television, new media and basic cable. This historic accomplishment is a direct result of your input during the wages and working conditions process, and reflects the contributions and dedication of our member negotiating committee and staff. These negotiations demonstrated the true strength of our unity. We entered bargaining not as two organizations agreeing to work together, but as one tight-knit team focused on the needs of all performers. It was a collaborative and collegial process throughout. Working together, and without the distraction of separate organizational interests, your committee remained firmly focused on your needs. You will see all of the gains achieved as they materialize in your work life, but the greatest achievement may be the full realization of our unshakeable unity and enhanced bargaining strength. We now turn our attention to the rest of the television schedule as we enter the negotiations process for SAG-AFTRA's Network Television Code. It covers morning news shows, talk shows, soap operas, variety, reality, contests, sports, first-run syndicated dramas and promotional announcements. Along with my vice chairs, Gabrielle Carteris, Mike Hodge and David Scott, and our member committee, I look forward to hearing from you during our wages and working conditions meetings and caucuses. August proved to be a painful reminder of the dangers facing journalists in the field. Our broadcast journalist members regularly put themselves in jeopardy to ensure that we have free access to news and information. Because of their work in places like Syria, Ukraine and Ferguson, Missouri, our right to know is inviolable. Too often journalists' tenacious pursuit of the true story accurately told may bring detention, arrest and even death. We stand behind our members and all journalists in defending their constitutionally guaranteed right to report from the scene. As creative artists, actors too enjoy the protections of the First Amendment in its assurance of freedom of speech, which underlies our ability to tell the stories we think are important without risk or censure in our creative lives. The First Amendment is a great gift and it is up to all of us to protect it. Our membership has suffered several losses over the past year, including the recent tragic death of the incomparable Robin Williams. Touched by genius — and by generosity and gentleness — Robin was a brilliant light and the rarest of rare talents. He was also a dedicated unionist who regularly expressed his solidarity with fellow SAG-AFTRA members and industry creative artists. We mourn his loss and wish the very best to his beloved family and his many friends and fans. We have also suffered painful losses among our staff. David Metz, SAG-AFTRA's national controller, passed away on Aug. 13, leaving behind his husband of 24 years. David's work for Screen Actors Guild, then SAG-AFTRA, is a large part of our fiscal stability and his diligence will be sorely missed. In July, residuals processor Lamont Correll and two of his children were killed in a horrific automobile accident in Palmdale, California. Lamont was a member of the staff team that turned around residuals processing times. David and Lamont's daily efforts helped our union remain strong and stable. Our deepest condolences go to their families and friends and our thanks for the immense value they brought to our members. On a final note, well-known entertainment industry marketing and branding expert Cyd Wilson has been appointed executive director of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. I hope you will join me in welcoming Cyd to her new post. As a SAG-AFTRA member and as a member of the Foundation's board of directors, I know firsthand how crucial our services and programs are to our members. I am confident that Cyd's leadership will advance the Foundation and further enrich our members' lives. In unity, Ken Howard