Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/716514
6 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2016 | SAGAFTRA.org G A B R I E L L E C A R T E R I S A Letter from the President "Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world." — DOLORES HUERTA asked me, "What can I do?" The answer is simple: Get involved. As chair of the TV/Theatrical Wages & Working Conditions (W&W) and Negotiations Committee, I want to hear from each of you in preparation for negotiations next year. W&W meetings to formulate the union's bargaining platform for the next TV/Theatrical Contract will begin later this year and, in September, we'll hold stakeholder group caucuses around the country for members working in film, television and new media. We will also be holding information sessions about the state of the union based on ongoing research. Our bargaining positions begin with your suggestions and experiences, so come to a meeting and help us understand what you need in your next contract. One of the primary motivators for merging our legacy unions into SAG-AFTRA was the potential of a combined benefit plan. It may have seemed a monumental task, but of such singular importance to the membership that our union-side trustees began work on it almost immediately. That goal will be realized in January 2017, when the newly merged SAG-AFTRA Health Plan becomes effective. While there is more to do and we are turning our attention to the next major goal, it is a remarkable accomplishment on behalf of SAG-AFTRA members and their families. Dear Member, I t is all in our hands. SAG-AFTRA's power lies in its members — members like you and me. The union derives its direction and its strength from the people who show up. That is the power of collective action and the principle of unity. We are stronger together than we are apart. I have had the honor to serve our members as a national board member in both predecessor unions; Los Angeles Local President; SAG-AFTRA national vice president, Los Angeles; and executive vice president for two terms. I have had the privilege to see how one's service can have an impact on the lives of members. Chairing and serving on negotiating committees, attending wages and working conditions meetings and being a part of governing has made me a better union member and it inspires me to continue serving SAG-AFTRA members. Working together and working hard, with respect for fellow members and staff: That's how we get things done. In recent months, I've attended local membership and Broadcast Steering Committee meetings, town halls and nationwide webinars, and visited television and movie sets in various cities. I heard from thousands of you about our vibrant and dynamic union, and often you In May, we lost former Screen Actors Guild President William Schallert, who died at age 93, shortly after the deaths of former SAG President Anna Patty Duke Pearce and SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard. Bill was a wonderful performer, an astute leader and a true gentleman. During his 1979–81 tenure as president, he helped lead an early, unsuccessful attempt at merger between SAG and AFTRA. On March 30, 2012, I stood with fellow members in the James Cagney Boardroom in Los Angeles as the vote was announced. Bill rose from his chair, applauding the victory 30 years after his own effort to merge the unions. He had retired, but he never quit. Union service is a transformative experience. It is working to make something that is already great even better. Alone we can do little; together we can do so much. Join us, and together we will continue to make tremendous strides. In strength and unity, Gabrielle Carteris