A Message From the New Mexico Local President

I hope you are as well as can be expected during these trying times. This letter is to let you know that our National leadership and the SAG-AFTRA New Mexico Local Board has your back and is working hard to support our New Mexico members.

NATIONAL LEVEL:

Staying safe, yet productive during the COVID-19 pandemic remains one of our highest priorities. Our union has many online resources to help performers get through this: 

• The President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement (PTEOE) offers live-stream programs to educate and engage members on topics including staying safe and sane during COVID-19, as well as self-taping, tax preparation, getting back to work and more. Check out SAG-AFTRA's YouTube channel.
• SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Performers Programs include online and remote access to Conversations at Home, The Business, Casting Access, and VO labs.
• There is a special COVID-19 edition of SAG-AFTRA magazine. Due to the pandemic, this digitally-enhanced issue will not be mailed and is only available online.
• Additionally, SAG-AFTRA and its sister unions and guilds have issued The Safe Way Forward. This document is an initial set of principles and guidelines that form a relevant and realistic first step to protecting cast and crew in the reopening of the entertainment and media industry. See more at our COVID-19 hub.

SAG-AFTRA NEW MEXICO:

New Mexico state leadership, as well as our film office, have put us in a great position when productions start up again, and we are working closely with both.

• Our ongoing priority is to help protect the New Mexico film incentives program and make it even better for our local performers. Incentives appear safe for the upcoming June 18 special session, but we are already working with our industry partners to clearly outline our strategy and goals in preparation for the 2021 sessions. One of our local's goals is to increase incentives to producers for hiring local performers. It is very important to have a unified approach to this effort, so please stay tuned for information on how we can accomplish this together.
• Due to a union-wide COVID-19-related SAG-AFTRA resource conservation we’ve had to curtail some of our events, such as membership meetings and the popular Coffee Connections. There are many online events for you to take advantage of so be sure to check the local calendar on your app and the website. We are working hard to find ways to connect with you and will keep you posted. Be sure your SAG-AFTRA account has your current email address, that you have downloaded the SAG-AFTRA app and, of course, you can always check in on us through the website:  https://www.sagaftra.org/new-mexico/about-our-local 

If you have any questions you can always contact me at newmexico.president@sagaftra.org or Julie Crane at julie.crane@sagaftra.org.

Hope to see you soon on set,

Marc Comstock
SAG-AFTRA New Mexico Local President