LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK – The SAG-AFTRA National Board met yesterday via videoconference between the James Cagney Boardroom in Los Angeles and the Ken Howard Boardroom in New York.
The board unanimously approved the tentative 2019 Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast Contract, which is a successor to the 2015-2018 agreement that had been extended.
The board also reviewed administrative, finance and governance matters and received reports including:
President’s Report
President Gabrielle Carteris opened with a remembrance of the members who died since the last national board meeting.
Carteris recognized the awards team and congratulated the Awards Committee and staff on another successful SAG Awards.
Carteris also reported on the 2nd Annual Labor Innovation and Technology Summit held during CES in Las Vegas earlier this month. The event, which was co-hosted by SAG-AFTRA and the AFL-CIO, tackled tough questions about workplace automation, workforce training and technology innovation. Carteris thanked AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler for her partnership and leadership and noted that planning for the third Innovation and Technology Summit is already underway.
“This year’s Summit was an invaluable opportunity to really dig into the ethics of automation and the many innovations affecting working people in our industry and beyond. Workers must be at the table and sharing in the conversation as workforce transformation is being discussed,” said Carteris.
“Labor solidarity is crucial and in many ways, it is our superpower. Our strength is in our unity and in our willingness to step up and stand with our allies,” she added.
Carteris closed her report with a call for solidarity and unity and encouraged the board to engage in upcoming informational meetings ahead of negotiations and to participate in upcoming campaigns and actions.
National Executive Director’s Report
National Executive Director David White provided a summary report of the union’s operations and updated the national board regarding the union’s ongoing investigation into FremantleMedia.
White reported on operations including recent enhancements to the union’s website and member mobile app. He also detailed improvements in the union’s direct deposit program and noted several new programs including a direct deposit project that allows members to automatically direct small checks to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
“This is a great moment for us as we continuously improve our services to SAG-AFTRA members and more effectively implement our programs,” said White.
Finance Report
Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto reported that both revenue and expenses are tracking according to plan for the second quarter.
The board overwhelmingly approved a Finance Committee recommendation to hold initiation fees at their current rates and to allow an automatic increase of 2-percent in base dues from $218.60 to $222.96 to take effect as per the Merger Agreement, effective May 1, 2020.
Innovation and New Technology Report
Executive Vice President and New York Local President Rebecca Damon, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Pamela Greenwalt presented an analysis of new technology surveyed at CES 2020 and discussed potential impacts on SAG-AFTRA member work.
Contracts Report
Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez and Executive Director, Commercials and Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast Contracts Lori Hunt presented the 2019 Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast tentative agreement, which the board unanimously approved.
Health, Pension & Retirement Report
White provided an overview of the union’s health, pension and retirement plans.
Legal and Governance Report
Crabtree-Ireland updated the board on several routine legal and governance matters.
The meeting adjourned at 8:03 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.
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