I want to start this letter by congratulating one of our local broadcasters. The Star Tribune recently announced their 2024 “Minnesota's Best” list and SAG-AFTRA broadcaster and WCCO Radio On-Air Host Vineeta Sawkar was voted “Gold Best Radio Personality.” This is, of course, a wonderful acknowledgment of what Vineeta brings to WCCO Radio, but it should also be said that this is the THIRD consecutive year Star Tribune readers bestowed this honor on her. Congratulations, Vineeta! And congratulations again to all the local broadcasters honored this year thus far.
The Great Minnesota Get-Together is underway, and runs until Labor Day, Sept. 2! After a rousing time at the fair last year during the strike, SAG-AFTRA Twin Cities Local members return to the Minnesota AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion to engage with fairgoers, represent the work of our member broadcasters and performers, and show what being part of organized labor means. And it’s a great opportunity to be around our union siblings! If you are interested in volunteering for a shift at the SAG-AFTRA kiosk when this letter comes out, there will probably still be some openings over the Labor Day weekend. Reach out to twincities@sagaftra.org with your interest. The first 25 members who volunteer for a shift will get into the fair for free.
Performers, if you missed the recent pair of virtual Day-One On Set Paperwork & Protocol Workshops put together by our Conservatory Committee, I can personally attest the information shared was timely and incredibly useful. Not long after both events, I was fortunate to work on a locally shot low-budget project. Having just covered deal memos, onboarding paperwork, pay periods and more made for a very confident work experience and protected my pay when the producers adjusted my shooting schedule. Please keep an eye out for more events like this. As the industry continues to readjust and opportunities return to the state, “The More You Know” improves our ability to advocate for ourselves.
As you’re aware, our performer union siblings who work the Interactive Media Agreement are still on strike. The gaming industry is so concentrated that the effects of this strike are not easily seen in the Twin Cities Local. However, the gaming industry does have a huge impact on the entertainment industry as video games bring in massive revenue for their producers, far above that of film and episodic productions. As you’d expect, the strike has a big impact on the performers who work the Interactive Media Agreement, who came to the same impasse with their employers as the film and episodic workers did with theirs — A.I. Click here to find out more info on the strike and how you might take action to help.
Finally, preparations for our first in-person membership meeting since 2019 are developing. On Monday, Sept. 16, we will gather at St. Paul Neighborhood Network. We will start with some food and social time from 6–6:30 p.m., and then from 6:30–7 p.m., we will have a brief meeting to update you all on a few things. I stress brief because the rest of the evening will be dedicated to food, drink and social time. It’s been too long since we’ve been able to gather like this, and we want that time between broadcasters and performers to be well spent. It is perfect that SPNN is conveniently located near Lake Monster Brewing and King Coil Distillery. Please join your SAG-AFTRA siblings for food, drink, conversations and a good time. Reservations are required. Click here and log in to make yours now.
In solidarity,
Casey E. Lewis
Twin Cities Local President
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