SAG-AFTRA Members Hold Bake Sale Rally in Front of BBH New York Offices

NEW YORK — More than 400 SAG-AFTRA members rallied today in front of ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, LLC (BBH), which is trying to illegally abandon its union contract after almost 20 years. The rally took the form of a mock bake sale to raise funds for BBH. Thousands of baked goods were handed out.

Said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, “We are proud performers who are lucky enough to have the protections of our union. All we want is the ability to support our families and to work under safe conditions that our collective bargaining agreements offer us. We will continue to fight for our right to make a living doing the work we love.”

“BBH complains that paying performers a living wage is just too expensive and they don’t have enough dough to pay us, so we’re helping them out with some dough of our own,” said SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President and NY Local President Rebecca Damon. “All kidding aside, this is serious business. In a time when corporations are willing to devalue people's work and their worth, SAG-AFTRA and our allies are here to take a stand. That’s why we’re here. That's why we're standing strong. And that’s why we we’re not giving up.”

Damon was joined by New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-27th District), NY State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, New York City Central Labor Council President Vincent Alvarez and Deputy Manhattan Borough President Aldrin Bonilla. Both elected officials and labor leaders gave speeches and rallied in support while a live brass band played. The “bake sale” comes several weeks after SAG-AFTRA called a strike against BBH. During the rally, SAG-AFTRA members discussed the securities provided by a union contract, including fair wages, safe sets, and health and pension benefits.

“As a daughter and granddaughter of union workers, I understand the importance of earning a living wage and having worker protections,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who spoke at today’s rally. “Unions are the backbone of our economy, and I support SAG-AFTRA’s efforts to ensure their performers earn a decent wage and have safe working conditions. I join SAG-AFTRA in urging Bartle Bogle Hegarty to live up to their contractual obligations and pay workers what they deserve.”

Added Senator Hoylman, “We can't allow BBH to abandon their contractual obligations and undermine the collective value of their workers. This is a violation of basic integrity, and I stand firmly with the performers of SAG-AFTRA in their fight for life-sustaining wages, healthcare, and on-set safety.”

“Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH)’s decision to abandon their contract is cruel and illegal, and is a direct attack on workers’ rights,” said New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. “All employees deserve to be paid a fair wage and work in a safe environment. New York will never compromise when it comes to fairness for workers’ rights and we will continue to stand with SAG-AFTRA.”

SAG-AFTRA members, including Vice President, Actors/Performers Samantha Mathis, National Board member Michelle Hurd, NY Local Vice President and well-known broadcaster Jim Kerr and former Screen Actors Guild President Richard Masur, were also present.

SAG-AFTRA’s contract creates a workplace standard that is inclusive and equitable for all. Beyond that, it provides benefits to workers who otherwise might not have access to health insurance due to the freelance nature of their work. The BBH bake sale was part of the ongoing Ads Go Union campaign that has mobilized thousands of SAG-AFTRA members across the country including picketing outside the Los Angeles Office of BBH that had nearly 1,000 members participate.   

To date SAG-AFTRA has received a massive outpouring of union support from other national and international unions such as the Actors’ Equity Association, ACTRA, Local 52, Motion Picture Studio Mechanics, IATSE, Local 161, Script Supervisors, IATSE, Local 600, International  Cinematographers Guild, IATSE, Local 802, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), IATSE, Local 817, International Brotherhood of Theatrical Teamsters (IBT), Local 829 United Scenic Artists, IATSE, Writers Guild of America, East (WGA East).

“I want to make one thing perfectly clear to BBH: Our brothers and sisters of SAG-AFTRA are not alone in this fight. They have the collective strength and solidarity of the 2.5 million members of organized labor in this state behind them for as long as it takes to get a fair and equitable contract. SAG-AFTRA members are the reason for BBH’s financial success over the years. These workers deserve fair wages, benefits and safe working conditions. The full resources of the New York State AFL-CIO will be at the disposal of SAG-AFTRA for as long as necessary. I call upon BBH to bargain in good faith to reach a fair agreement that these workers so justly deserve,” said New York State AFL-CIO President Cilento

Added New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Vincent Alvarez, "Members of SAG-AFTRA, like all working people, need fair pay, retirement security, reliable healthcare, and to know that they are safe in their workplace. The New York City labor movement stands with our brothers and sisters in demanding that BBH respect these workers and their right to build sustainable careers, and immediately stop violating their contract."

Said New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, “I grew up in a union household and I am proud to stand with the hardworking people of SAG-AFTRA. I am a staunch labor supporter and I firmly believe New Yorkers should be paid fairly for their work. At this moment in particular, when anti-labor efforts threaten unions across the country, it is important for New York City to fight for the labor movement and I will let working people know I have their back every chance I get.”

Added Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, "For twenty years, BBH has recognized and lived up to its obligation to deal fairly and responsibly with the union representing the performers who make its work possible. To walk away from that obligation now? This business, and all businesses, should be better than that.”

"SAG-AFTRA performers deserve respect and I strongly urge BBH to adhere to existing contracts. New York is a union town and we won't allow these hard working men and women to be cheated out of their hard-eared wages and benefits,” said Public Advocate for the City of New York Letitia James. 

SAG-AFTRA’s Commercials Contracts have more than 600 signatories, which collectively produce the vast majority of commercials that viewers see every day. BBH has been a signatory to the contract since 1999. In recent years, SAG-AFTRA has worked with ad agencies to update their contracts to reflect the ever-changing media landscape. Just last year, for instance, SAG-AFTRA created the Low Budget Digital Waiver specifically to address the industry’s desire to produce smaller budget digital work for social media platforms.

To download hi-res photos, please click the links below:
BBH_Picture 1 – L-R: New York City Central Labor Council President Vincent Alvarez, New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, former SAG President Richard Masur, SAG-AFTRA EVP and NY Local President Rebecca Damon and NY Executive Director Jeffrey Bennett at the bake sale for BBH on Nov. 1 (Photo credit: Margarita Corporan Photography/SAG-AFTRA)

BBH_Picture 2– New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and SAG-AFTRA EVP and NY Local President Rebecca Damon at the bake sale for BBH on Nov. 1 (Photo credit: Margarita Corporan Photography/SAG-AFTRA)

BBH_Picture 3 – SAG-AFTRA members dress as cupcakes to show support for the union’s strike against BBH. (Photo credit: Margarita Corporan Photography/SAG-AFTRA)

For more information about the strike, visit: sagaftra.org/strikebbh

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.