New England Local Annual Membership Meeting Highlights Union’s Work

Local members attended the virtual New England Local annual membership meeting on June 13. New England Local President Andrea Lyman opened the meeting with introductions and updates on safety, the Return-to-Work Agreement and workplace protections, including the union’s work to set minimum standards for training and qualifications of intimacy coordinators and a registry system to serve as a resource for Producers. Lyman reminded members that SAG-AFTRA’s Safe Place app is available for members as a safe and discreet way to report sexual harassment. It can be used by anyone who works under a SAG-AFTRA contract and there is an option to file a report anonymously. 

SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Mid-Size Locals Michele Proude covered key provisions of the 2022 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts, which were ratified by the membership in May. The agreement, which passed with 92.25% of the membership in favor, reflects important structural changes in the industry, especially in digital streaming. Proude also covered the regional commercials code, member education and engagement, and previewed that members can now export their virtual membership card to both the iOS and Android wallets on their phones. 

SAG-AFTRA National Board member Bill Mootos reported on several of the union’s local and federal advocacy efforts. In July 2021, the sunset provision of the Massachusetts Film & Television Tax Incentive was removed. Mootos reminded Massachusetts-based members to keep in contact with their state legislatures about how significant this issue is to their constituents. It was also announced that the New England Local became an official member of both the Maine and Vermont AFL-CIO chapters as a means to develop relationships and expand work opportunities for members in these states

Mootos also reported on national innovations, including a redesign of the union’s cast clearance portal, which now enables casting directors to use bulk upload and performer look-up. Members’ Taft-Hartley forms can now be submitted online and the Producer’s Portal is undergoing a facelift to improve processing. Finally, Mootos briefed members on SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher’s Green Council. The goal of the council is to reduce pollution and waste in productions signed with SAG-AFTRA. Members can help with the green initiative by opting out of physical mailings from the union by logging in to sagaftra.org/gogreen.

New England Broadcast Vice President Vic Ramos began his report with a moment of silence for legendary local broadcaster and union advocate Shelby Scott. Among her accomplishments, in addition to her 30 years at WBZ-TV, was her co-founding of the union’s national Broadcast Steering Committee, her key role in contract negotiations and in the merger of SAG and AFTRA, and her service until her death as a union trustee to the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan. Ramos proceeded to provide an overall broadcast update highlighting the formation of a union at New Hampshire Public Radio for the reporters, producers, hosts and content creators. NHPR is the first station in New Hampshire to organize with SAG-AFTRA. You can follow their efforts for a first contract at @nhprcollective.

Local Executive Director Jessica Maher presented an extensive production report from 2021. She concluded that the previous year was great for productions and 2022 has followed that same trend. The meeting concluded with a robust question-and-answer session.