The Chicago Activator - Oct. 19, 2015

Official E-Newsletter of the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local

IN THIS ISSUE Welcome Chris Peak W&W Meetings Member Tidbit Blood Drive Nov. 2

October 19, 2015

Tonight!

SAG-AFTRA Senior Radio Players Perform on Oct. 19 Don't miss the SAG-AFTRA Senior Radio Players presentation of an old-time radio show, complete with commercials, recreating episodes from two classic programs: Boston Blackie and Baby Snooks.

ILHS Awards Dinner A Call to Arts Union Plus Scholarships Holiday Schedule

7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Monday, Oct. 19 Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center 77 E. Randolph (at Michigan) Admission is free. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Welcome Chris Peak The KMRC and SAG-AFTRA Chicago are pleased to welcome Chris Peak. Chris is the new full-time KMRC Center Coordinator. He began on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Next time you are visiting the KMRC, take a moment and introduce yourself to Chris.

Chicago Local Commercials Contracts W&W Meetings The SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local will soon conduct Wages & Working Conditions meetings in preparation for SAG-AFTRA TV and Radio Commercials Contracts negotiations. Proposals for this important negotiation are developed through the involvement of members like you. Make your voice heard, attend, and participate in this very important process.

These meeting are only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing, no guests are allowed. Parents/guardians of performers under 18 years old are welcome. You must bring your current membership card for admittance (paid through Oct. 31, 2015 or April 30, 2016).

When: W&W Session One: 6 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28 W&W Session Two: 6 - 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2 W&W Session Three: 6 - 8 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9 Where: SAG-AFTRA Chicago, 1 E. Erie, Suite 650, Chicago IL 60611 Please RSVP to Sean Hennessy at (312) 867-2549 or sean.hennessy@sagaftra.org.

Park at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

Attention Members Who are Actively Producing: No member who is primarily employed as management or primarily performs the function of management is eligible to attend committee meetings.

Have suggestions but cannot attend? Please them email to: commercialsw&w@sagaftra.org.

All proposal recommendations will be reviewed by the Wages & Working Conditions Committee.

For updates on W&W 2015, please visit the SAG-AFTRA website at SAGAFTRA.org.

Member Tidbit Moving? Log on to SAGAFTRA.org, click on Member Services and My Information to update your Membership Records with your new, correct address. You must be logged in as a member to access this page so click on User Login located on the upper right hand corner of the home page.

While you're there, double check the other information: phone, email, etc. If your membership records are not up to date, delivery of all checks and notifications mailed from SAG-AFTRA can be delayed.

If you need any help with this process, please call the Membership Department at the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Local at (312) 573-8081 ext. 5541 or 3712.

11th Annual Blood Drive with Free Headshots and Flu Shots On Monday, Nov. 2, the Kaufherr Members Resource Center will host the 11th annual SAG-AFTRA Chicago Blood Drive. The drive is open to SAG-AFTRA and AEA members, family and friends, agents and other industry pros, our labor brothers and sisters, and our neighbors in the building. It's a fun day with lots of surprises, treats and more.

Every two seconds, someone in America needs blood. Those of us blessed with good health can share it through donating blood -- to enable a premature baby to live, a burn victim to recover, a cancer patient to be treated, an accident victim to survive or a transplant candidate to have lifesaving surgery.

If you have avoided donating blood because you don't like needles, try this: With your thumb and forefinger, pinch the skin on the inside of your elbow joint. Regular blood donors say that's a pretty good simulation of what it feels like when you give blood. Won't you just give it a try -- and then if you think somebody's life is worth putting up with a little pinch, we'd love to sign you up for the SAG-AFTRA Chicago Blood Drive.

You must be 17 years old or older and weigh at least 110 pounds to donate blood. There is no upper age limit and most medications do not disqualify you from donating. Other restrictions may apply. If you have questions, please call the LifeSource Medical Help Desk at (877) 543-3768 or visit the website.

Noon to 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2, KMRC, 1 East Erie, Suite 660, Chicago, IL KMRC will be closed to other uses on Monday, Nov. 2.

Free Headshots Everyone who donates blood will receive a certificate for a free headshot from a local photographer to be scheduled and taken at a future date. Photographers will be assigned at random. The list of participating photographers includes: borterwagner photography www.borterwagner.com DuVerney Photography www.duverneyphoto.com Aaron Gang Photography www.aarongang.com Johnny Knight Photo www.johnnyknightphoto.com Brian McConkey Photography www.brianmcconkeyphotography.com Robert Erving Potter III Photography www.rep3.com Starbelly Studios www.starbellystudios.com

Please join in extending a heartfelt thank you to this generous group for giving their time and talents to support the blood drive.

Free Flu Shots Again this year, thanks to The Actors Fund, the event also includes free seasonal flu shots. Shots will be available from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on a first-come, first-shot basis.

Please contact Kathy Byrne at (312) 867-5508 or email kathy.byrne@sagaftra.org to register for blood donation and/or flu shots.

Park at 10 East Ontario. Enter on the north side of Ontario between Wabash and State, and then take a ticket. When you sign in, you may purchase a four-hour ticket for $13 cash, $14 Visa, MasterCard or American Express payment. You will need both tickets to exit the parking structure.

Note: The FDA imposes a number of donor registration restrictions. These restrictions, followed by LifeSource, are solely the responsibility of the FDA and are not endorsed by SAG-AFTRA. The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement by the union nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.

Illinois Labor History Society's 34th Annual Union Hall of Honor Awards Dinner Justice from Farm to Table 2015 Honorees: Elizabeth Maloney, Ruben Ramirez and Olgha Sierra-Sandman Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. cash bar, 6 p.m. dinner and program Operating Engineers Local 399 Hall, 2260 South Grove, Chicago, Ample free parking How often do we think about the labor that goes into the food that is on our tables? From farm labor to food processors and packers, to the wait staff at restaurants and clerks at grocery stores, each a day thousands of Illinois workers put in long, hard hours along every step of the food chain.

The Union Hall of Honor is proud to celebrate the lives of three of these workers. They stood up for dignity at their workplaces, fought for a voice at the bargaining table, and remind us that from the farm to the table, these are important spaces for labor organization - past and present.

For more information about the Illinois Labor History Society or to purchase tickets for this event, please visit illinoislaborhistory.org.

The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider.

Don't Forget to Log Your Mentoring Hours for A Call to Arts As you mentor young people, fellow members, students, interested individuals, industry colleagues and community representatives, are you remembering to sign in to the A Call to Arts site and log your hours?

For each event or session, keep track of your hours and the number of mentees you are reaching.

Then visit this site to log your hours. Each time you return, you can update your hours and keep track of your progress as we work toward the goal of accumulating one million mentor hours. If you are already mentoring, teaching a class, volunteering or serving on a committee - don't forget to enter those hours too!

Not yet registered or need more information about A Call to Arts?

SAG-AFTRA and the American Film Institute have partnered with President Barack Obama and the White House to reach out to young people pursuing careers in the arts. In collaboration with industry colleagues and partner organizations, this national effort aims to generate more than a million hours of mentoring over the next three years. You can get more information and still join in by registering and recording your mentoring hours at sagaftra.org/acalltoarts.

If you have any questions or are interested in developing programs to help other Chicago members participate in A Call to Arts, please contact Linda Swenson at linda.swenson@sagaftra.org.

Union Plus Scholarship Program For the 2015-2016 academic year, Union Plus awarded $150,000 in scholarships to 106 students representing 36 unions. The Union Plus Scholarship program, now in its 24th year, has awarded more than $3.7 million in educational funding to more than 2,500 union family members. The 2016 Union Plus Scholarship application is now available online.

This program is being produced and administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA.

Holiday Schedule for Office and KMRC SAG-AFTRA Chicago and KMRC will be closed all day Wednesday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. In response to members' requests to stay informed, The Activator may include notice of rallies, pickets and other actions by unions and the labor movement that have not been sanctioned by the National or Chicago Board of Directors of SAG-AFTRA. This information is provided as a convenience.

The information contained herein regarding workshops, vendors, special offers and the like is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to imply endorsement by SAG-AFTRA of them or the information, material, products or services provided. SAG-AFTRA makes no warranties or representations regarding the use of the material or the quality of the services or service providers.

SAG-AFTRA Chicago: (312) 573-8081 Email: chicago@sagaftra.org Website: SAGAFTRA.org