Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/39968
ON LOCATION NEW YORK DIVISION In My Opinion: Mike Hodge 2nd National Vice President Consolidation and Affiliation because they knew it was the right thing to do. It missed by less than 2 percent of the required vote. One of the things that struck me about some of the I activity against C&A was its insidiousness. There was a lot of misinformation, some of it deliberate, some of it simply misguided. But even misguided is damaging. Negative information, whether whispered or shouted, is not a stand-in for the truth. It may be the truth sometimes, but the only way to know is to seek out independent verification. Read the information; ask SAG staff. A short while ago, I heard some rumors. My first response was to laugh because they were so far off the mark that I thought no one would believe them. But then I realized some people would. So it was important to correct because it was gossip, which should never be the standard since it provides no verification and is quite oſten inherently insidious. The same holds true here. I am reminded of an incident during the C&A campaign. AFTRA's president, Roberta Reardon, and I were on a job together. I lobbied everybody on the set for votes. We encountered one young lady who was adamantly against merger. She listed her reasons, none of which were based on truth. Aſter a long conversation in which Roberta and I had countered every one of her arguments, she still refused to budge. Finally, I asked if she had read the proposal. She hadn't. She had talked to a friend who had talked to a friend who had heard about the proposal. I was stunned. On another day, aſter the C&A vote, I ran into a friend who was as saddened and disappointed as I at the failure. She said, "I don't know why it failed, it was such a good plan." I asked how she knew. "I read it," she said. Read the material when it comes. Ask lots of questions. The plans for One Union are just beginning to be formulated, and the SAG and AFTRA members of G1 intend to continue working to see it to fruition. Transparency and inclusion are paramount because the new organization has to work for everyone. So if you have questions or ideas, email oneunion@sag.org or follow SAG on Facebook or Twitter. National Board Member Sam Freed and In solidarity, Mike Hodge New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes "We were thrilled to have our brother and sister unions at this event, which once again demonstrated that the unions and guilds of the entertainment industry share common goals, and that we are at our strongest when we work together," White said. The evening was very productive, the tone positive, and labor leaders pledged to continue to stay in contact and work together for the benefit of their members. The event is a part of the SAG N.Y. Division Board's ongoing efforts to reach out to the labor community and raise awareness about the union movement. 34 SCREEN ACTOR - Summer 2011 SAG.org 've been thinking recently about the previous effort to join SAG and AFTRA. The Board and staff worked tirelessly for LABOR LEADERS TALK MERGER S creen Actors Guild's New York Division hosted a special reception May 25 for labor leaders from the entertainment community. The SAG New York Host Committee Labor Leader Reception brought together more than 100 people, including leaders of organized labor and elected officials from guilds and unions, to discuss labor issues of mutual concern. Excitement about the merger between SAG and AFTRA was a hot topic of conversation. Special guests included SAG National Executive Director David White and New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes. From left, former New York Division President Eileen Henry, New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes, AFTRA President Roberta Reardon