Attending a National Board Meeting

Shane Carson and EVP Rebecca Damon

"On the weekend of Oct. 14–16, I attended my first SAG-AFTRA National Board meeting. I was an alternate to Michigan Local’s National Board representative, Peter Tocco. The meeting was held in Los Angeles and the experience was amazing, to say the least," said Shane Carson, secretary and board member-at-large for the Michigan Local.   

"After arriving in L.A. and getting checked into the hotel, I met with our Michigan Local administrator and was brought up to speed, while learning about certain protocols — including certain do’s and don’ts that should be adhered to during the various plenary sessions.  

"By 8 a.m. on Saturday, I was ready to face my mission with an eager smile on my face and backpack — that, of course, contained the requisite notebook, pen and highlighter — while patiently standing in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel waiting to be transported to the gorgeous SAG-AFTRA Plaza building.

"During the course of the meetings, I continually found myself to be in awe of the level of detail that goes into making our union move forward. The number of 'moving parts' that go into ensuring our members have the best chances of receiving the best possible wages, working conditions and safety standards in the various industries that our union represents is absolutely mind-boggling. To witness and to be part of how the 'recipes' actually get made at of one of the worlds’ most prestigious and highly regarded performers’ unions was unforgettable.

"Best of all, the people were golden! The committee meetings, sessions, reviewing of reports, and the overall events were strictly business and very professionally handled. On Saturday alone, our day ran from 9 a.m.–8 p.m.!  

"In the spirit of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address speech when he said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,'  I ask all of my fellow union brothers and sisters — myself included — from this day forward to not be passive, and ask what we all can do for our union."  

This item was originally featured in the December 2016 local newsletter.