A Note from the New Orleans Local President

Will you stand up for a fellow performer, broadcaster or recording artist without a voice?

We often only stand up for ourselves or the cause nearest to us. But what if you have no “skin in the game” and an actor who is getting treated poorly or unethically on a set comes to you for help? What if an actor is afraid to speak out against someone in the position to hire or fire her or him, or worse yet, in a position to blackball them from the industry?

Would you risk getting involved? Would you lend your voice?

As the New Orleans Local president, I am called regularly by members frustrated for different reasons such as getting payment on a claim, agency representation and other issues. One other issue in particular that many of us are hearing about is the most upsetting kind. Recently, someone told me that they heard of a non-union project where a female performer had claimed to be sexually harassed. 

What do I do? I called my union. I wanted to do the right thing and hold the person or people who were responsible for what happens at work accountable for their conduct. I also wanted to make sure that those who were affected got some help and healing after what happened. After finding out more about our rights, our resources and our union when it comes to harassment and discrimination, I wanted to share it with you. 

While there may be times I get frustrated with the union, it’s at these times the union shines, representing us when to do so on our own could be risky and costly. 

I found out that for anyone on the job or applying for a job in our jurisdictions, our union (along with our partners) can provide assistance, information and resources if someone is being or has been sexually harassed or assaulted. SAG-AFTRA and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation recently joined forces to offer workplace harassment counseling services in partnership with The Actors Fund. To access services over the phone, SAG-AFTRA members can contact The Actors Fund regional office nearest them in Los Angeles, (323) 933-9244, ext. 455; New York City (212) 221-7300, ext. 119; or Chicago (312) 372-0989.

If harassment happens while working on a signatory project, the union has other options, ranging from contacting the employer and, without naming names, forcefully reminding them that they have a legal and contractual obligation to provide a safe work environment and we are committed to holding them accountable. The unions could have strongly encouraged an immediate employee refresher with everyone or sent a union rep to see what’s what, hear from people on the ground and, hopefully, disrupt whatever misconduct might be going on. This, then, gives anyone who needs it the time to talk to the union and outside resources like lawyers and counselors who can help them figure out what they may want to do about what happened or is happening. Even if someone decides not to “go after” anyone for what happened, they will know what to do, know how to get help, what the union can do and, in the words of our Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment, how to intervene to STOP the conduct when we can, SUPPORT those who speak up and REPORT the conduct.

Should you need to make a report, please call SAG-AFTRA at (855) 724-2387, press option 1, or our after-hours emergency line at (844) SAFER SET, a number that is always available to you on the back of your membership card, on your member app and on the sagaftra.org website.

Working union jobs gives us another leg to stand on and professional support at no extra cost. Please talk to SAG-AFTRA-eligible performers on the set about their additional protections when joining the union.

Please use your voice to speak up for others and spread the word about these resources. Let’s help keep our sets safe for everyone.

Stand together!

Diana Boylston
New Orleans Local President