A Note from Our National Board Member

by Art Lynch

The Union is in Nevada.

Beware those trying to take advantage of us not having “an office.” At least one local actors’ organization and at least one agent are telling local actors that there “is no SAG-AFTRA in Nevada.” Whatever the reasons, they are wrong. We remain strong and working hard for each other, the membership, to encourage union work and protect union talent on the set, in working conditions and wages, and in the overall respect for talent. We have a local elected board, committees, activities and resources.

We are the union in Nevada.

I worked for the members of SAG, with committee meetings, meetings and work toward our successful merger, and now the election of a new union board and a new union, SAG-AFTRA. It is a you-have-to-have-been-there thing to understand the 36-consecutive-hour board meeting, two failed attempts to merge, the finances and other information proprietary to a corporate nonprofit board.

My apologies to all who may have seen less of me on the set or had phone calls lost between the cracks. I have been and will continue to use my education and experience to represent all of us in the complexities and politics of the SAG-AFTRA National Board.

The convention process is new to us, providing the only body that can overturn actions of the National Board and one process to change the constitution. It occurs only once every two years.

President Barbara Grant led the delegation, which included longtime union activist Kim Renee and member Joe Alexander. A very full week of meetings, politics, elections and celebration found Nevada well represented, with the intended voice for conventions, our general membership, heard and listened to.

Elections for our new union are now every two years, and the national board of directors will serve on a four instead of three-year term in the future, although the terms have been staggered for the first election. All local offices (national board is a national office) will be up for election in the year 2015.

This item was originally featured in the December 2013 local newsletter.