SAG-AFTRA to Hold Third National Convention

Los Angeles (October 4, 2017) – Union leaders, delegates and special guests will come together October 5-8 for the third biennial SAG-AFTRA National Convention at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. This year’s convention theme is Our Union, Our Strength, Our Future.

SAG-AFTRA’s convention will bring together national officers, national board members, local presidents and member delegates from across the country to discuss issues essential to the union’s future.

The convention will also include the nomination and election of executive and national vice presidents in addition to consideration of a constitutional amendment and resolutions proposed by the national board, locals and member delegates. Events include A Legendary Evening gala at the Globe Theatre in Universal City Hollywood that will feature the presentation of the American Scene Awards, which honor content creators that realistically portray diversity in all its forms, as well as a presentation of the George Heller Memorial Award, a prestigious honor—a SAG-AFTRA gold card—bestowed on member leaders and/or staff who have made a significant contribution through years of service to the union.

The schedule of SAG-AFTRA’s convention is as follows:

Thursday, Oct. 5:  Delegate check-in to begin in the afternoon, followed by a National Board Meeting (open to National Board members and designated alternates only) and a welcome reception open only to convention delegates. 

Friday, Oct. 6: Convention opening session, keynote conversation, and nominations and balloting for the election of the executive vice president and geographic and category national vice presidents. A keynote conversation featuring director and producer, Nancy Meyers facilitated by Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz will take place in the morning. The afternoon will include a Local Presidents Forum (open to Local Presidents and authorized attendees only) followed by consideration of a proposed constitutional amendment and resolutions. In the evening, the union will host A Legendary Evening gala featuring the American Scene and George Heller Memorial Awards at the Globe Theatre in Universal City Hollywood.

Saturday, Oct. 7: National Executive Director's Report and Q&A; consideration of proposed constitutional amendments and resolutions; and five panels and workshops:

• We Rise Together: Advocacy and Activism, Inside and Outside of Your Union
• The State of the Industries: How the Big Picture Affects You
• Health, Pension and Retirement: Protecting Our Present and Investing in Our Future
• The Octopus with a Thousand Legs – How We’ll Win with the Commercials Organizing Campaign
• #sagaftraunidos – Our Union, Our Future: Why Spanish Language Media Matters to All of Us

Sunday, Oct. 8: Convention will conclude with officer reports from President Carteris, Secretary-Treasurer Jane Austin, and the newly elected executive vice president (who is elected Friday at the convention).

The SAG-AFTRA National Board will meet following the conclusion of convention on Monday and Tuesday. 

 

About SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.

 

###