Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/94610
For Members SAG-AFTRA MEMBERS HELP DEFEAT ANTI-UNION MEASURE W hile the last few years have brought waves of anti-union legislation in several states, voters in California saw through the deception to defeat the latest such attempt. he state's Proposition 32 was advertised as an initiative to reduce the influence of money in politics, but in reality it focused its efforts on silencing union voices, while doing nothing to curb corporate political spending. "he people have spoken. hey thought they could lie to us and that we would believe them, but you know what? People were listening — and now they're speaking: No on 32, that's the way it was supposed to be," said National Vice President, Los Angeles Gabrielle Carteris. SAG-AFTRA, along with other unions, stood together to defeat the bill, participating in a No on 32 gathering in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 20 and rallying members at a "Zombie Lurch" on Halloween. At the September event, SAG-AFTRA joined hundreds of other union members to push for the measure's defeat. SAG-AFTRA National Board members Jason George and Jenny O'Hara put on a humorous skit explaining the truth behind the deceptive proposition. At the "lurch," participants donned zombie makeup and shambled down Wilshire Boulevard. Speaking at the event were SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon and Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. Members of CTA, AFSCMA, UNAC/UHCP, Musicians Local 47 and Teamsters turned out to show their support. he theme of the event was chosen to reflect the fact that similar anti-union bills seem to come back to life year aſter year, even aſter being killed, like zombies in a horror film. SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board member Ellen Crawford plays a zombie at SAG-AFTRA's Halloween Zombie Lurch. SAG-AFTRA National Board members Jenny O'Hara and Jason George entertained union members at a Sept. 20 rally to fight Proposition 32. RECORDING ARTISTS: CLAIM YOUR RIGHTS IN 2013 A rtists who transferred or assigned the rights to their sound recordings in 1978 or later take note: You may soon be eligible to regain ownership of your recordings under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. he 1976 Copyright Act includes a provision that allows an artist who transferred their rights in a sound recording to a label or other assignee on or aſter Jan. 1, 1978 to terminate that transfer and recover the rights to their masters 35 years aſter the date of transfer — but only if the artist gives proper notice. he first year to exercise this right is in 2013. "It is important for SAG-AFTRA members who are recording artists to thoroughly understand how to successfully exercise their termination rights because of the strict deadlines and technical notice requirements involved," said SAG-AFTRA 20 SAG-AFTRA | Winter 2013 | SAGAFTRA.org National Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy Terrie Bjorklund. Recording artists have a window of five years during which they can terminate the transfer of their rights. For 1978 recordings, that window is from 2013 to 2018. It cannot be overstated that the notice requirements are stringent and the rules must be correctly followed. here are many nuances in the law that could potentially impact the reversion of rights for artists' sound recordings. he purpose of providing termination rights in the 1976 Copyright Act was to protect artists by leveling the playing field between them and the companies to which they transferred their rights. he intent was to give young authors the right to recapture their copyrights, or renegotiate more favorable contracts, aſter 35 years when the value could have significantly increased.