SAG-AFTRA National Board Meets via Videoconference

The SAG-AFTRA National Board met Saturday in a regularly scheduled one-day videoconference plenary. National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland reported member employment improvements showing jobs and earnings had rebounded and reached a new high in the first months of 2021, with streaming and commercials showing significant growth.  

Crabtree-Ireland said, “We’re very pleased that the COVID safety protocols that we worked so hard with our sister unions to complete have enabled the industry to rebound. It also emphasizes the importance of remaining vigilant and not becoming complacent about the virus because it is those very protections that will allow our members to continue to work in the pandemic environment.”

In other business, the Board received an interim report from the National Task Force Ensuring Fair and Equitable Hiring Practices Within the Stunt Community. 

Recommended actions include creating a database of qualified diverse stunt performers, defining compliance protocols for stunt coordinators, and proposing specific initiatives around the training, mentoring and networking of stunt performers.

“SAG-AFTRA is committed to the fight to advance diversity, equity and inclusion principles as evidenced by the work of our Stunt Diversity Task Force and other initiatives,” Carteris said.

The Board also approved the use of gender-neutral language that reflects the union’s aspiration to achieve gender equity and the inclusion of all forms of gender identity and expression in national policies and procedures, local constitutions and local policies. 
 
The Board reviewed administrative, finance and governance matters and received reports, including: 

President’s Report
President Gabrielle Carteris opened with a remembrance of members and staff who have passed away since the last National Board meeting, and she led the Board in a moment of silence. The Board and staff also paid tribute to National Director, Stunts & Safety Cedric Jackson, who died earlier this month. 

Carteris reported on SAG-AFTRA’s updated COVID-19 Return to Work Agreement and thanked Crabtree-Ireland for his leadership and collaboration with our sister unions and employers.

Carteris also reviewed the union’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and its continued advancements in technological efficiencies, member service and engagement.

Reflecting on her time in office, Carteris expressed her gratitude to Board members and staff saying, “It’s been a true honor to serve as your president and I thank the members and staff for their many contributions.”

National Executive Director’s Report
Crabtree-Ireland provided an update on the union’s operations and accomplishments in member service, education and engagement. 

He also reported on organizing initiatives and contract negotiations, including dozens of broadcast station negotiations, SAG-AFTRA’s Sound Recordings Code, and its agreement with Telemundo Television Studios for Spanish-language television production. Crabtree-Ireland is serving as chief negotiator for the Sound Recordings Code and Telemundo contracts. He also reported on various contract enforcement initiatives and provided a detailed report on the recently revised Return to Work Agreement. 

Crabtree-Ireland reported on the accomplishments of the union’s Communications and Marketing team under the leadership of Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Pamela Greenwalt, noting that SAG-AFTRA’s reach continues to expand and member engagement is strong. In the first six months of the year, the President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach and Engagement hosted weekly events totaling more than 30 hours of programming. The streams were viewed by nearly 10,000 people during the live presentations and had more than 40,000 views on the SAG-AFTRA YouTube channel. Crabtree-Ireland also reported that overall video views during the first half of 2021 totaled more than 144,000. The union’s podcast also continues to be well received, chalking up more than 24,500 unique downloads over the same period.

Between Jan. 1 and July 15, 2021, the sagaftra.org website had more than 1.5 million users, of which 1.4 million were unique users. All users during that time accounted for more than 18 million page views, including more than 8 million unique views. 

Crabtree-Ireland introduced and congratulated three staff members who were recently appointed to the union’s executive leadership team: General Counsel Jeffrey Bennett, Chief Governance and Equity & Inclusion Officer Michelle Bennett and Chief Administrative Officer & Executive Counsel Will Bensussen. 

Finance Report
Secretary-Treasurer Camryn Manheim and Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto presented the financial results for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2021. Revenue exceeded expectations and expenses were favorable to budget.  

The presentation also included a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, which issued an unmodified audit opinion.

Manheim thanked the Board and Ozzanto for their support over her tenure as secretary-treasurer.

Contracts Report
Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez presented the proposal package for the Network Code negotiations, which will be negotiated in late September and October. The Network Code covers syndicated and non-primetime dramatic programs, daytime serials, promotional announcements, variety, quiz, game, reality, talk, news and sports, and other non-dramatic programs. The proposal package is confidential and will not be released. Rodriguez will serve as the union’s lead negotiator, as he has for the prior two contract cycles. 

The Board also unanimously approved an update to the 2001 Dubbing Agreement. In addition to multiple improvements and a simplified compensation structure, this agreement represents the first wage increase for members under this agreement since 2003. The new rates and structure of this agreement are built on three years of community organizing and performer engagement. This is also the first time in this industry where it will be a contractual requirement that performers be notified of possible vocal stress, be included in on-screen credits, and be compensated for use of their home studio post-COVID.

Governance Report 
Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon, Crabtree-Ireland and Michelle Bennett reported on various governance matters, including extending the union’s statute of limitations on disciplinary proceedings for sexual harassment from six months to 10 years. In addition, the Board received reports on the upcoming SAG-AFTRA National Convention and approved the appointment of several trustees to various boards and benefits plans.

In addition to the approval of gender-neutral language in national policies and procedures, local constitutions and local policies, the Board overwhelmingly moved to send to convention two constitutional amendments for consideration, adding diversity, equity and inclusion to union objectives as well as implementing gender-neutral inclusive language. 

Other Business
Crabtree-Ireland presented key provisions of the revised Return to Work Agreement, which was approved by the union’s Executive Committee and signed earlier in the week. 

Jeffrey Bennett presented a confidential legal report to the Board. 

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. PT.
 

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.