From The Executive Director

Last year, KYW-AM lost more than 100 years of broadcast experience with the departures of Robin Greer, Skip Fischer, Mike Dunn and Vince Hill. In December, co-shop stewards Paul Kurtz and Jim Melwert arranged for a reception to honor this group. During the evening, I thought about what it means to be a “union” in the entertainment and broadcast industry. Everyone in the room had carved out their own career in journalism with their own war stories and unique set of accomplishments. Sharing those war stories and re-living those common experiences is what made the evening so warm and celebratory, even if the occasion was the departure of longtime colleagues. It’s the shared experiences that created the community that night, and it’s the recognition of what each person has in common that creates the solidarity in SAG-AFTRA. 

From left, Skip Fischer, Mike Dunn, Tom Rickertt, Jay Loyd at the KYW reception

BSC members meet in November to discuss broadcast contracts.

After the opening of Creed, I saw performer members sharing their experiences on set and, regardless of how many lines they had or how many days they worked, the production created a shared experience. And then again at the holiday party, I watched people easily move into conversations, sharing stories about Philadelphia productions or the local radio and television stations at which they worked. I think in those moments we are truly a union; we are more than just our contracts, our grievance victories, negotiations or W&W sessions. We are brought together under the umbrella of SAG-AFTRA, connecting as colleagues in the broadcast and entertainment industry.

At our November Local BSC event, the highlights were surely sharing stories of bosses past and present, to which everyone in the room could relate.

Stephen Leshinski
SAG-AFTRA Philadelphia Local Executive Director