Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/716514
SAGAFTRA.org | Summer 2016 | SAG-AFTRA 13 For Members N E W S , I N F O R M AT I O N A N D B E N E F I T S SAG-AFTRA'S W&Ws NEED YOU! S AG-AFTRA is gearing up for a critical period that will have a huge impact on members — and the union needs to hear from you. With the television and theatrical contracts set to expire June 30 next year, the union will be holding a series of meetings to get member input on what should be in the next contracts. On July 17, the National Board approved the establishment of the National TV/Theatrical Contracts Negotiating Committee and appointed President Gabrielle Carteris as its chair. Known as the wages and working conditions process, or W&W for short, the meetings are the most direct way members can influence the contracts under which they work. The negotiating committees and staff use the information gathered from these sessions to understand what contract provisions are most important to members. In the give-and-take process of negotiation, it's important to know the relative value members place on the various provisions to secure the best deal possible. W&Ws are held for many of SAG- AFTRA's contracts, and the upcoming ones will focus on the Producer–SAG- AFTRA Codified Basic Agreement and the SAG-AFTRA Television Agreement, which are negotiated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The W&Ws will be taking place Oct. 24 – Dec. 2. Prior to that, in September, caucuses will be held for stakeholders, which include background actors, dancers, singers, stunt performers and others. Check the page for your local at SAGAFTRA.org for dates and times of meetings. Notifications will also be emailed to members whose email address is on file. TASK FORCE'S MISSION IS MEMBER ENGAGEMENT National Board member Ellen Crawford joins Seattle Local members at their June 20 membership meeting. TV/THEATRICAL WAGE RATE INCREASE SAG-AFTRA wants to remind members that wage rates for work done under the 2014 TV/Theatrical Contracts increased July 1. Please consult the rate sheets for television and theatrical posted at sagaftra.org/ productioncenter for details. J ust 18 months after it was established, the President's Task Force on Education, Outreach and Engagement continues to expand, working to keep members involved with their union. The primary goal of the task force is to empower SAG-AFTRA members across the country through direct member-to-member outreach. To translate this idea into a reality, members of the task force — including President Gabrielle Carteris; Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon; Vice President, Broadcasters Catherine Brown; Vice President, Recording Artists Dan Navarro; National Board member and Second Vice President, Los Angeles Ellen Crawford; National Board member Abby Dylan; and New York Local Board member and dancer Jamal Story — have traveled to locals across the country, working to expand members' union knowledge and facilitate engagement. Recent visits include Seattle, Missouri Valley, Utah, Nevada, Michigan, Philadelphia, New York and Washington-Mid Atlantic — with more meetings forthcoming. The task force has been working with committees and members, creating discovery Continues on page 44