Message From Your National Board Member

Philadelphia Local Members,

I hope this finds you healthy and safe as we enter 2022 and all look forward to the year ahead.

Looking back at 2021, we held our national/local elections, welcomed a new national president (Fran Drescher), a new national executive director (Duncan Crabtree-Ireland), held our fifth biennial national convention (the first all-virtual national convention!), conducted Commercials Contracts W&Ws, and partnered with our sister unions — DGA, IATSE, and the Teamsters and Basic Crafts — to successfully restart production and lead the economic recovery of the entertainment industry.

Convention delegates passed two constitutional amendments exemplifying the union’s continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and passed resolutions to support journalists covering the coronavirus pandemic and increase the dues payable by high-earning members, among other actions.

On the National Board side, we held 11 meetings (four regularly scheduled meetings and seven special meetings) and the National Committee of Locals (the 23 locals outside of N.Y. and L.A.) met nine times. 

Highlights for the National Board last year included: 

• Passing a resolution to establish a national standing committee dedicated to the prevention of sexual harassment and appointing Vice President, Los Angeles Michelle Hurd as national chair of the committee.
• Approving an agreement to cover content created by certain types of influencers when they are paid to advertise products or services.
• Appointing SAG-AFTRA Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland as our next national executive director and chief negotiator.
• Extending the COVID-19 Dues Relief program.
• Approving a diversity action plan.
• Unanimously approving an update to the 2001 Dubbing Agreement.
• Approving the appointment of several trustees to various boards and benefits plans.
• Voting to exercise a contractual option to direct 0.5% of the annual wage increase under several of our contracts to the contribution rate for the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan.
• Voting to refer resolutions passed at convention to appropriate committees and staff.
• Voting to send to convention two constitutional amendments for consideration, adding diversity, equity and inclusion to union objectives as well as implementing gender-neutral inclusive language.
• Approving use of gender-neutral language in national policies and procedures, local constitutions and local policies.
• Adopting new membership Rule 7, which explicitly prohibits harassment and abuse, including sexual harassment, intimidation, and retaliation for the filing of complaints, and making violations subject to disciplinary action.  
• Approving a Finance Committee recommendation to hold initiation fees at their current rates and to suspend an automatic annual increase of 2% in base dues.
• Approving a recommendation to extend the lease of the union’s headquarters at 5757 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, to October of 2032. 
• Appointing the National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting (Network Code) negotiating committee in advance of negotiations. 
• Hearing regular reports on finance, governance, contracts and contract negotiations, including dozens of broadcast station negotiations.

The first National Board meeting for 2022 took place Saturday, Feb. 5, and the Committee of Locals met on Friday, Feb. 4. 

Mike Kraycik
National Board Member