SAG-AFTRA New York - Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

N.Y.

A Letter From New York Local President Rebecca Damon

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he New York state government recently passed its annual budget, and in that budget was an extension to the Empire State Film Tax Credit Program. That means $420 million a year in tax incentives for film and television production through 2024. Extending this tax credit for multiple years was vital. It allows television shows to plan for production in New York to cover a multiple-year series. Television has seen explosive growth in recent years thanks to the exponential increase in streaming services, and we want those shows in New York.

Credit for this successful outcome goes to the incredible work of our elected leaders in New York and all of the New York members who contacted their representatives.

Your voices were heard! We must also acknowledge the tireless efforts of our fellow entertainment unions: WGA, East; DGA; IATSE 52; IATSE 600; Teamsters 817; as well as the NYS AFL-CIO and our industry partners at the MPAA. New York Local President Rebecca Damon said, “Thanks to the support and engagement of SAG-AFTRA members, we were able to keep thousands of good union jobs in New York. I was proud to lead this effort on behalf of members, but I want to acknowledge the strong coalition of industry unions and in particular to thank New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento and SAG-AFTRA New York Local Executive Director Jeffrey Bennett for their extensive collaboration on this monumental effort.”

These tax incentives are extremely important to the New York economy. Since 2004, film and TV production jobs are up 55 percent, growing 4.5 times faster than the overall New York state economy. New York hosted a record number of TV series in 2017, 91 of them supported by the tax credit. More production requires more space, and more than 30 soundstages have been added since 2016 or are in the active pipeline. The return on investment from these incentives in 2017 was estimated to be 1.18, meaning that for every dollar CONTINUES ON PAGE 3

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Dear Member, “Members united will never be divided!”

This basic but heartfelt chant from a recent strike rally at BBH headquarters is a statement that rings true about everything we do to advance the cause of SAG-AFTRA members.

Thanks to your efforts and advocacy, New York has extended the Film and Tax Credit Program to 2024! That’s five more years of robust film and TV production in New York, and lots of great union jobs.

This excellent news wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t answered our call to action. This is a huge victory and a vindication of months of work with lawmakers. I am so grateful and proud to have worked with you all to make this happen.

Using the power of technology, we set up a text program that helped members find out who their elected representatives are and instantly CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

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Mike Hodge Dedication NYPR / Audiobooks / Direct Deposit Broadcast Spotlight: Nancy Reamy I Am a New York Actor: Matt Servitto Stunt Coordinators / Deducting Dues Life after COBRA / Casting / Night Rights Perspective: John Amman Staff Spotlight: David Viviano Membership Meeting Notice

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SAG-AFTRA N.Y. VOL. 8 • NO. 1 EDITORIAL STAFF

Richard Baldwin Bernadine Robbins N.Y. COMMUNICATIONS COMMIT TEE

Liz Zazzi Chair Jeff Spurgeon Vice Chair

MARGARITA CORPORAN

Christine Bruno Nick Fondulis Anne Gartlan Joseph Melendez

1900 Broadway, 5th floor New York, NY 10023

#StrikeBBH In New York SAG-AFTRA locals across the country have been sending a message to ad agency BBH since September: Honor your agreement and pay performers a fair wage. But only the New York Local can show up at BBH headquarters and deliver the message to their front door. Because BBH has been crying poor, we held a bake sale for them, complete with custom-made cupcakes. When the holidays came around and BBH was acting like Scrooge, we delivered coal to their lobby. And to shine a light on their unfair practices, we projected our message onto their building. We also held demonstrations in Times Square and Lincoln Center to spread the word all over the city. We’re keeping up the pressure, and we will not back down!

DAMON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

connected members to the appropriate office.

We turned out in person at community budget meetings to add our voices. On every trip I made to Albany, I had the force and strength of every New York member standing with me.

If you’re wondering how much of a difference incentives make, consider this: Prior to the incentives, New York was home to Law & Order and a few other productions. Crazy as it may sound, when a movie was made about the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the filmmakers substituted Toronto for the Big Apple. Since then, the incentives have ignited a vibrant production scene, with some 91 shows shooting in 2017.

As a filming location, the New York region has a lot going for it. It offers iconic urban

and rural landscapes, small towns, mountains, cliffs, seashores, lakes, rivers and streams. It has a deep talent pool and crew base, ready and willing to work. The tax incentives serve as the final, pivotal element needed to attract production.

Crucial for working actors in the New York area, the incentives make financial sense for the state as well, but it took our deeds to make them a reality.

As part of our expanded education and empowerment initiatives this past year, we have been actively working on new programming for members doing background work. In addition to seminars and meetings, the new background digest is available at the office, and we’ve developed a 411 card so you have ready access in your wallet to the phone numbers you may need. The info is also on the website and our app, which will also be seeing

enhancements this year.

Many of you have already signed up for direct deposit of residuals. If you haven’t, please see the article on page 4 for instructions.

We’re beta testing a new event check-in process this month with the QR code you can find on your membership card or the app. Special thanks to MOVE’s NextGen Performers subcommittee for the many ideas that continue to inspire us to push harder.

There are so many exciting things going on in our union, but none of this would have been possible without the support of our engaged, well-informed membership. Thank you for your support.

Onward together,

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FROM ONE GEN TO ANOTHER

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epresentatives from the N.Y. NextGen Performers Subcommittee and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation gave a presentation titled Tech Tools and Social Savvy with Auditioning, Casting and Marketing in the N.Y. office on April 3. Hosted by the N.Y. Seniors Committee, the panel and workshop focused on the needs of members age 50-plus in understanding and adapting to the ever-changing world of social media and technology tools.

Panelists covered topics from beginner to expert level, explained the various resources available through SAG-AFTRA and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, answered questions, and met one-on-one with attendees for individual assistance and guidance.

N.Y. Seniors Committee Chair Elaine LeGaro commented, “This was a great opportunity for SAG-AFTRA members from different generations to meet, learn from one another and share experiences. My deepest thanks to everyone who participated.”

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of credit disbursed, New York state and local municipalities received a combined $1.18 in total tax revenue.

Not to be left out, last July, New Jersey raised its tax incentive program to $75 million, up from $10 million.

The Garden State offers a 30-percent tax credit on purchases and rentals for film production. About a dozen major productions are currently filming in New Jersey or are about to start. NBC has a studio at the IZOD center, and warehouses throughout the state are being looked at for possible conversion to TV studios. New York Local Vice President Liz Zazzi said, “So many of our members live in New Jersey, and we are thrilled to see these valuable credits increased and restored.”

We look forward to keeping the entire New York Local at the forefront of film and television production for many years to come.

SAG-AFTRA EVP and New York Local President Rebecca Damon cuts the ribbon before a congregation of National and Local Board members and friends, family and colleagues of the late New York Local President and national Vice President Mike Hodge.

SAG-AFTRA Dedicates the Mike Hodge Executive Conference Room

BY LIZ ZAZZI

Mike Hodge. He was always quick with a smile and some words of encouragement, and he n April 5, I was proud made the office feel like a second to join family, friends home. We miss him every day, and colleagues of the Mike always and we are thrilled that his name late New York Local President stood up and portrait will now grace his and national Vice President for what he favorite room in the office.”

Mike Hodge for the ribbonbelieved in and cutting ceremony of the McGuire described his encouraged a executive conference room longtime colleague as “a generation of named in his honor. Mike facilitator, a union fighter, a performers to loved the beautiful room peacemaker, a man for all do the same. overlooking Lincoln Center, seasons, a joy to be around, a and now his name adorns the friend to me and to all his glass and his portrait hangs on SAG-AFTRA sisters and the wall. brothers. I thank him for being a Also joining SAG-AFTRA part of my life.”

EVP and New York Local President Rebecca A prolific actor in theater, film and Damon were former Screen Actors Guild television, Mike stepped up to union service President Richard Masur; former Screen during the commercial strike of 2000. He Actors Guild New York Branch President served on the national and local boards of Sam Freed; current SAG-AFTRA New York SAG and SAG-AFTRA for nearly two decades, Local Vice President Jim Kerr; Honors and chaired several negotiating committees, and Tributes Committee Vice Chair, New York was elected SAG New York president in Kevin Scullin; New York Local Executive 2009. He was a key figure in the successful Director Jeffrey Bennett; Senior Advisor John SAG-AFTRA merger and became New York McGuire; and a host of national and local co-president upon merger in 2012. He was board members, as well as labor leaders from re-elected as the first SAG-AFTRA New York our sister unions.

Local president in 2013, serving until his death on Sept. 9, 2017.

About her mentor and friend, Damon said, “Mike Hodge was a SAG-AFTRA founder Dubbed “The Voice of God” by his dear whose legacy lives on in the many leaders friend and colleague, the late President and volunteers who carry the torch of union Ken Howard, the Mike Hodge Executive activism in his footsteps. Mike always stood Conference Room is fittingly just next door to up for what he believed in and encouraged a the Ken Howard Boardroom. generation of performers to do the same.”

— Liz Zazzi is a SAG-AFTRA national vice Bennett added, “The New York staff loved president and New York Local Board member.

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TRUSTED SOURCES

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recent organizing effort at New York Public Radio demonstrates that the most persuasive argument for joining a union may come from your co-workers.

We’ve all heard how the gig economy is taking over, but temporary, part-time and per diem jobs are nothing new in our industry. Even broadcast shops, which utilize a core staff of regular, full-time employees, contain their fair share of per diem workers.

SAG-AFTRA, which already represented about 120 staff at New York Public Radio, was contacted in March 2018 by a group of temporary workers who became interested in forming a bargaining unit after hearing about union benefits from their colleagues.

These temporary workers do many of the same jobs as their full-time counterparts.

Nevertheless, they were receiving no health or retirement contributions, no overtime pay, no on-call pay and could not ask the union for help in disputes with management. They reached out to SAG-AFTRA, which then provided strategic guidance for their organizing effort. SAG-AFTRA assisted in the collection of petition signatures, held educational meetings and met regularly with the organizing committee.

On-air hosts, reporters, producers, engineers and other employees who were already SAG-AFTRA members supported their colleagues’ efforts. Several had been per diem workers themselves before joining and could speak from personal experience. But credit for the victory rests squarely with the temporary workers whose tenacity, solidarity and courage brought them under the union banner. Ursula Sommer, an assistant producer at the station and one of the members of the organizing committee, said, “I love working at NYPR, but was so glad that full-time employees were aware of and were interested in changing the way the station employs per diems. SAG-AFTRA’s Broadcast Manager & Labor Counsel Becky Hayes and Director, Organizing Maggie Russell-Brown made it seem possible to actually address the concerns of freelancers at the station and gave us the tools to organize effectively.”

Once enough signatures had been collected, SAG-AFTRA formally asked N.Y. Public Radio to recognize it as the temporary and per diem group’s collective bargaining representative. To its credit, N.Y. Public Radio voluntarily agreed to recognize the new unit based on a card check within a few weeks.

“Voluntary recognition agreements are rare in our business,” says Hayes, who led the negotiation for SAG-AFTRA. “This agreement speaks to the strong partnership we have with New York Public Radio and to the solidarity of the staff who wanted SAG-AFTRA to represent them.”

Indeed, many radio and television stations fiercely resist union organizing, resorting to anti-union campaigns, intimidation and retaliation — even though it is illegal. It can be even more difficult when the station is part of a larger corporate network.

Yet, despite the protests of management, union radio shops continue to thrive, and the most recognized and most respected broadcast talent are union members. And not just members, but advocates and ambassadors for our union. Their support and solidarity is the reason SAG-AFTRA is organizing more broadcast shops than ever. They help their fellow workers recognize the protection and benefits that come from organized labor.

Direct Deposit Is Here!

As we move forward in the digital era, SAG-AFTRA is embracing ways to create efficiency for the union and its members.

We are excited to announce that direct deposit of residual payments is now available to New York Local members. By registering for the service at sagaftra.org, residuals payments can now be automatically and securely deposited directly into your bank account. Residual payments will be aggregated across studios and payroll houses and distributed once a week to the bank account of your choosing. Residual check images, stubs and a statement will be viewable online and you will get an email notifying you each time a deposit is made.

To take advantage of this service, log in to your member account at sagaftra.org and then: Click the Residuals Portal from the left menu.

Click on the bottom right tab, Direct Deposit, then accept the terms and conditions. After accepting, you will need to click on the Direct Deposit tab again.

Click on the Go to PaymentHub button. This will take you to the secure PaymentHub portal, where you can register for direct deposit and set up bank account routing.

This is an exciting achievement for our union, as we expand this program to our members. Please note that the service is currently available on a local-by-local basis, and direct deposit will be available for all eligible members by May 1.

If you have any questions, please contact your union at (855) 724-2387 or info@sagaftra.org.

Audiobook Narrators Come to Town

Audiobook narrators from around the country gathered in the New York office for a great meeting in March about the state of their industry. Staff listened and answered questions as these working narrator members voiced their concerns and discussed issues that affect them. The talent of our members fuels this growing industry, and SAG-AFTRA continues to organize to make sure this work, which demands both acting skill and vocal exertion, will be fairly compensated and protected under union contracts.

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PHOTO COURTESY NANCY REAMY

Traffic Reporter Nancy Reamy

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BY CHERI PRESTON

When we first started, we didn’t have cellphones.

We’d supply people with radios or they used CBs. Early on, we actually had a man in a car who would drive up and down Route 1/9 in New Jersey, gauging how bad the backups were at the Lincoln Tunnel.

Reamy, who was shop steward at the time, raffic in the New York metro doesn’t remember it quite that way. “I had area is notoriously bad, but it has a toddler at home and I couldn’t stay at the been very good to Nancy Reamy. station, so I suggested that everyone come to A veteran traffic reporter for my house. I saw it as them doing me a favor, over 30 years and a SAG-AFTRA not the other way around. It did help that member for nearly as long, Reamy says she we were able to sit down and talk, and we realized shortly after her graduation from did get a good deal. But the cookies were Montclair State University that this oatmeal — I’m sure of it, because it’s could be a pretty good gig. all I had in the house.”

“I was born in New York Reamy knows that radio BROADCAST and raised in New Jersey, and I sometimes isn’t the most lucrative SPOTLIGHT always knew in this area, traffic of careers, especially when was going to be a type of job starting out. In fact, her father, a security. It never gets any better. banker, was so shocked by her first Only worse. And it’s always going to paycheck that he Xeroxed it and told be there.” her to keep a copy because she’d look back Reamy started out as a news reporter, but later on how little money it was ($108.05). She after a layoff, a friend told her that her voice still has the copy. The income has improved, sounded like a traffic reporter on the radio, certainly, but that’s not the most important so she gave it a try. She’s been at it ever since. element of SAG-AFTRA membership.

And she has certainly seen some changes “When I was shop steward, I would tell over the years. everyone, ‘You’re not just working for your “When we first started, we didn’t have pay, you’re also working for your benefits.’ cellphones. We’d supply people with radios And it’s true. The benefits have always been or they used CBs. Early on, we actually had a fantastic. Without union representation, we man in a car who would drive up and down wouldn’t have them.”

Route 1/9 in New Jersey, gauging how bad What’s a typical day like for a New York/ the backups were at the Lincoln Tunnel.

New Jersey traffic reporter? Reamy wakes Now we work with Google Maps, Waze, up at 4 a.m., and she’s on the road by 5 a.m. computer models and helicopters. There are She arrives at the Total Traffic headquarters also cameras everywhere. Anything we can in Rutherford, New Jersey, by 5:30 and is on use, we use.” with five different stations throughout the Reamy isn’t just an expert in merging morning rush. She delivers reports to one traffic, however. She’s also an expert in station on Long Island, one in the Hudson merging companies. Her former employer, Valley and three in New Jersey. She’s also a Shadow Traffic, blended with Metro part of the morning show on each station.

Networks, which was taken over by iHeart, “My favorite part of the job, without which has now been re-branded as Total question, is getting to interact with the hosts.

Traffic and Weather Network. And all of Some can be silly, but they’re good people, those shops have been represented by and if you get to work with good people, that SAG-AFTRA, thanks in part to a generous makes all the difference.” gesture by Reamy back in 1990. In fact, it In the past few years, Reamy has started a was so generous that Associate Executive side gig officiating at weddings up and down Director Richard Larkin still talks about it. the Jersey Shore and throughout the state.

“The station where Nancy worked had She’s also just become a grandmother, or been sold in a bank auction and the new “Nan” as she prefers, to 8-month-old Oliver. owners were under no obligation to keep it Since he and his parents live in Silver Spring, union. Members wanted to talk about it, but Maryland, she’s become known as “Amtrak there was no place to meet. So Nancy invited Nan” because she’s always checking the train everyone to her home in Montclair. She even schedules. For someone who knows better baked chocolate chip cookies. The discussion than all of us how bad traffic can be, why was really beneficial and, by sticking together, would she want to drive? they were able to get a great contract with the — Cheri Preston is a SAG-AFTRA new owner.”

New York Local Board member.

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atan hails from New Jersey. Among Matt Servitto’s numerous and varied acting credits, Adult Swim’s Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell features Matt as the “boss” of a live-action office comedy set in Hell. “Yep, I’m a New Jersey Devil,” he jokes. “For a guy who’s done lots of network procedurals, that show is so much fun to do. It’s over the top, with lots of makeup, improv and green screen.”

Matt’s enthusiasm for this some of the settlement money and show is no different from how studied abroad for a semester at PROFILE he’s approached his entire BADA [British American Drama career. We spoke on the phone Academy] in its inaugural year. I from L.A., where Matt was out studied with some of England’s for pilot season. “I’m so excited about what’s finest teachers — people from the Royal going on in New York production-wise. It’s Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic, the West wonderful to watch the transformation of End. I listened to lectures by Judi Dench, what used to be this little outpost for film Derek Jacobi. Studied acting with Yale and TV. The tax credits championed by our School of Drama’s Earle Gister. I met Harold union created so much work. However, I still Pinter. I came back from that summer at 19 migrate west every year for a spell because years old thinking, ‘OK! Now I want to be there are writers and producers in L.A. an actor.’ It wasn’t until later on I realized I that I need to stay in touch with. I think it’s wanted to be a British actor!” important to be aggressive about seeking His experience made him seek a more work. I’ve graduated from sleeping on my regimented and disciplined EuropeanL.A. friends’ couches. These days I have my style training, and this led to his audition own bedroom.” for Juilliard. “I got in as an alternate, but I At an early age, Matt’s family moved from showed up on day one, ready to give it my all.

New Jersey to Detroit, where his father was And I got my ass kicked. In four years, my from, and there he attended high school and tough Detroit exterior got molded into a more college, engaging in sports and other school versatile actor.” And the young man who activities, and eventually he discovered the started at Juilliard as an alternate attended high school musical. “We did all the classics. his final year on full scholarship through the I loved the camaraderie. When I played the Princess Grace Foundation. “It’s a wonderful title role in Pippin, everything changed. I organization that gives money to performing wanted more challenges. More drama. An arts students. They’re adamant about staying English teacher introduced me to forensics.” in touch with scholarship ‘alumni’ and In this speech and debate activity, students continue to offer financial help for you to gain confidence in public speaking, and educate yourself within your discipline.” many of these programs include theatrical Juilliard offers its graduates a presentation monologues and dramatic duos. Matt recalls, opportunity with agents and casting “Our drama teacher was very encouraging people, and there Matt met Joan D’Incecco, and helped me get a full scholarship to legendary casting director for All My Wayne State University to study theater.

Children. “It happened very fast. I got a note Still, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be an actor. at school from Joan. Next thing I knew, I had I thought about teaching and journalism. a meeting. Then I had a screen test. Then But then I was in a car accident, and I took I had a job. I was taping the role of Trask

Bodine by day and then running back to Juilliard at night to play King Lear in our spring repertory production.”

He mourns the loss of dear friend D’Incecco (who died in 2016), as well as the soap opera genre. “It helped me pay my student loans and get a little cash in the bank.

It was a great way for New York actors to cut their teeth and learn how to act in front of the camera. So many great actors got their start in daytime. Alec Baldwin, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Meg Ryan.

“Make no mistake: I was terrible!” Matt laughs. “You do six years of theater training and then they throw you in front of a camera. And soaps, because they were shot three-camera style, were very technical.

No room for your method acting. ‘Learn your lines. Hit your mark. Check the gate.

We’re moving on.’ We had to shoot an entire episode every day! It was an acting factory.

Eventually, if you’re lucky, you find a happy place where the acting and the technical needs work together.”

He got his Equity card doing a play that spoofed daytime TV called Quiet on the Set that featured several other daytime actors.

“It was a blast sending up every night what we were doing every day. And I was playing multiple roles: the director, the makeup lady, the delivery guy … And I thought, where else can you do this except New York? Shoot a hit soap during the day and get on stage at night?” And, like most actors in New York, Matt also found work in commercials and voiceovers.

Matt’s career has continued to mirror his early days. He returned to the stage off-

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Broadway recently with Emma and Max at the Flea Theater, written and directed by indie film director Todd Solondz. And Matt is a champion of independent film. “I auditioned for the controversial film Compliance for a lead role — didn’t get it — so the director was reluctant to offer me a smaller part. I told him I would do anything because I believed in the film. Every role is significant because it adds to the story.”

With roles that have spanned contracted and recurring characters on The Sopranos, Banshee, Harry’s Law, Homeland and NCIS: New Orleans (to name a few), as well as turns in indies and major motion pictures, Matt continues to expand his repertoire with memorable characters. “Most recently, I’ve been recurring on Billions as New York Gov. Buffalo Bob Sweeney, something that started as a one-off and has grown over two seasons into a fully fleshed-out character. The talent on Billions is amazing. I’m always humbled at the table read to see the ensemble I’m working with.”

To those feeling rejected or discouraged, “Think about the long game,” Matt advises. “I’ve never felt relaxed. I don’t ever want to feel settled as an artist.

There’s no ‘big break.’ It’s a myth. There might be a moment where a door opens — wide. But believe me, that door has a spring on it, and it always wants to shut again. There’s something to be said for longevity. Always keep fighting. Answer the bell for the next round.”

Matt’s also been a fighter for SAG-AFTRA. He was elected to the national and local boards for several terms and served on several committees. “As an actor, I’m a collaborator. And the unions feel like family to me. We’re all in this together. Growing up in Detroit, I was part of a union family. My great grandparents, my grandparents, my dad, all worked in union shops, so I saw firsthand what the benefits were.”

One benefit turned out to be a lifesaver. Matt recalls, “About 13 years ago, I had a heart attack. And I had to have open-heart surgery. Intensive care, top surgeons, extensive follow-up. Quadruple bypass when my wife Anne was eight months pregnant with our twins. And yet, it felt like a blink, because I never had to worry about how I was going to pay for all of it. I can’t imagine what our lives would be like without my union insurance. I’d still be paying those bills today.”

Thirteen years later, the only hint it even happened are the scars on his chest, but for a fighter like Matt Servitto, it’s all in a day’s work.

Liz Zazzi Interviews Matt Servitto

— Liz Zazzi is a SAG-AFTRA national vice president and New York Local Board member.

STUART TYSON

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QUALIFIED … FOR DANGER

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s we all know from experience, when you’re set on fire, thrown off a building or drive over a cliff, it’s a team effort. OK, maybe that is not your experience, but if you were a stunt performer, it could be, and the person leading the team effort would be the stunt coordinator.

What do stunt coordinators do? Typically, they budget, design and choreograph stunt sequences to fulfill the requirements of the script, and then cast the stunts with appropriately skilled stunt performers.

Stunt coordinators must deliver dazzling and thrilling moments for the audience while at the same time ensuring a safe and secure environment for everyone involved in creating those moments.

Stunt coordinators may be called upon to stage everything from a fistfight to a helicopter

chase. Subjects they need to master may include chemistry (explosions), physics (car flipping over), biology (what can the human body do) and math (how much will this cost?). Sometimes the script will call for a particularly specialized stunt, in which case the coordinator will consult an expert, such as a deep-sea diver or a stunt pilot.

Stunt coordinators must answer to the producer when it comes to budget, the director when it comes to quality and the performers when it comes to safety.

While having actors do a few extra takes usually isn’t hard on the performers or the production budget, having a stunt “gag” done over and over can be increasingly risky for the performer, and it can quickly become expensive, so coordinators often feel pressure to get it done in one take. Nevertheless, safety must always be paramount, and SAG-AFTRA believes only experienced men and women should be placed in positions of such responsibility.

Guidelines for qualified stunt coordinators is something the stunt community

Deduct Dues and Opt Out S

AG-AFTRA members who live in New York state may be able to take advantage of two recent changes in state tax laws.

Deduct Your Dues in N.Y. Beginning in 2019, union members will be able to deduct union dues from their New York state income taxes if they itemize deductions on their state taxes. Note that taxpayers can itemize deductions on their state taxes even if they don’t itemize on their federal taxes.

This legislation was enacted in 2017, after efforts led by the New York State AFL-CIO and member unions from across the state, including SAG-AFTRA. These deductions are expected to put an estimated $35 million back into the pockets of union members throughout New York.

Opt Out of an N.Y. Payroll Deduction Also enacted in 2017, the Paid Family Leave Act allows employees to take up to 10 weeks of paid leave for reasons including caring for a new child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or when a spouse, child or parent leaves to serve in the military.

This paid leave is funded by small (0.153 percent) deductions from each employee’s paycheck, with a maximum annual deduction of $108.

Many SAG-AFTRA members, however, may not qualify for paid family leave, as the law requires working for a single employer for an extended period of time. Those who do not qualify are entitled to opt out of paying the deduction. To opt out, you sign a waiver form, which employers must provide to you. If the deduction has already been

at large has desired for decades. Last year, the SAG-AFTRA National Board approved the creation of the Stunt Coordinator Minimum General Standards Eligibility Process Guidelines. These guidelines are the result of months of work by the National Stunt & Safety Committee, under the leadership of Chair (and New York member) Cort Hessler.

Set to launch later this month, the program will permit prospective stunt coordinators to apply for inclusion in the SAG-AFTRA Stunt Coordinator Roster after demonstrating that they have completed 500 working days as a stunt performer or stunt coordinator. The program also includes a volunteer mentoring program and an apprentice coordinator program. The first roster will be released in early 2020 and made available to employers.

Veteran stunt performer, New York Local Board member and Stunt & Safety Committee member Nitasha Bhambree said, “Establishing a minimum standard will help to provide safer sets. Coordinators who achieve this minimum will have gained a certain level of experience that will better protect everyone working on set, including stunt performers, actors, background and crewmembers. The mentorship program will provide more opportunities for learning the craft and help establish a foundation for future stunt coordinators.”

taken, you may request a refund from the payroll company.

SAG-AFTRA has already been in contact with employers and payroll companies, asking that the waiver form be provided with your startup paperwork. It is the responsibility of the employer to identify employees who will not qualify for the Paid Family Leave Act and offer them a waiver. If the waiver form was not provided, you may request it, and if you are having difficulty obtaining it, let the appropriate SAG-AFTRA contract department know.

How do you know if you qualify for paid family leave? To qualify, you must either work for the same employer for 20 hours or more per week for 26 consecutive weeks or work for the same employer for less than 20 hours per week for 175 days over a 52-week period.

Feel free to contact SAG-AFTRA if you have further questions.

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LIFE AFTER COBRA

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he SAG-AFTRA Health Plan is one of the best health plans available, but participants must qualify, and may sometimes lose eligibility. COBRA coverage may be an option for those who lose eligibility, but COBRA may not be affordable to everyone, and it will only provide coverage to participants for up to 18 months (in some cases up to 36 months). Options outside of COBRA include:

SAG-AFTRA Foundation The SAG-AFTRA Foundation offers financial grants to participants or qualified legal dependents of participants who have a catastrophic illness or injury and who, due to financial need, cannot afford the Plan’s COBRA program. Contact SAG-AFTRA Foundation at (323) 549-6773 for more details.

The Actors Fund Certified application counselors at The Actors Fund’s Artists Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC) can identify coverage options both on and off the Marketplace and help members enroll in them.

AHIRC offers weekly seminars on Affordable Care Act plans, Medicaid and Medicare. AHIRC’s website includes educational materials and an extensive database of health care and insurance resources. The Actors Fund was part of a successful fight, led by industry unions, for a COBRA subsidy in New York State for entertainment industry workers. The subsidy will pay for half of your COBRA premiums for 12 months if you are deemed eligible.

For information on the subsidy, or any other questions about health care options, call (917) 281-5975.

From left, New York BAC members Tim Miller, France Iann, Avis Boone, Joyce Korbin, Chair Gerald Kline, New York Local President Rebecca Damon and committee member Marc Baron.

Connecting With Background Casting

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n March 13, the New York Background Advisory Committee and the MOVE N.Y. Committee presented another successful event, An Evening with Background Casting Directors. An overflow crowd of over 100 SAG-AFTRA members attended the event and gained valuable information from seasoned professionals.

Topics covered included how technology has affected the background casting process, how expensive headshots are no longer a requirement and how to conduct yourself like a professional on set. Thanks to moderator Avis Boone and our guests Heather Comer (Comer Casting), Brittany Gischner and Stephen Bradford Kenny (Central Casting) and Meredith Jacobson Marciano (Amerifilm Casting Inc.).

Other Group Health Coverage You may qualify for a special enrollment opportunity for another group health plan for which you are eligible, such as a spouse’s plan, even if the plan generally does not accept late enrollees.

You must request enrollment within 30 days after your Earned Eligibility coverage with the plan ends.

Health Insurance Marketplace Under the Affordable Care Act, you have the opportunity to purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace at healthcare.gov. In New York, you can access the Marketplace directly through the state website: nystateofhealth.ny.gov. The Marketplace allows you to shop and compare coverage, provider networks, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs before you make a decision to enroll. In the Marketplace, you may be eligible for a tax credit that lowers your monthly premiums; eligibility depends on household income. The Marketplace can also determine if you are eligible for Medicaid or the Essential Plan. Medicaid and the Essential Plan are insurance programs that protect and assist low-income individuals and families in need. Being eligible for the plan’s COBRA program does not limit your eligibility for coverage with a tax credit through the Marketplace. As with the plan’s COBRA program, you have 60 days from the last day of your SAG-AFTRA Health Plan coverage to enroll for coverage in the Marketplace.

The best way to find information about what to do when you lose eligibility with the plan is to go to sagaftraplans.org/health, or call (800) 777-4013

KNOW YOUR LATE-NIGHT RIGHTS!

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f you work on a theatrical or dramatic television production that runs into latenight hours, you are entitled to be dropped off at a safe location. Background actors who work on productions that run past 9:30 p.m. must be provided a ride by the production company to the original pickup point and/or one of three designated dropoff points: Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station or Port Authority. This applies unless you are dismissed from work in Manhattan within a zone bordered on the south by 34th Street, on the north by 57th Street, on the east by 3rd Avenue and on the west by 8th Avenue. It does not matter how many background actors may need a ride; even one member is entitled to a ride under the contract. If dismissal comes so late that public service transportation is no longer running, the producer must provide transportation to the member’s home. Note that your work time ends at the drop-off time of the first background actor, regardless of the time at which other background actors may be dropped off.

If you encounter a problem, we urge you to call the 24-hour hotline at (212) 517-0909. If you know beforehand that you will be working a late-night production, you may call the SAG-AFTRA office ahead of time, and we can remind the production of their obligation to provide transportation. There’s no excuse for leaving our members in an unsafe situation.

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For this edition of Perspective, National and New York Local Board member Anne Gartlan spoke with John Amman, business representative at IATSE Local 600, the International Cinematographers Guild.

Who does IATSE Local 600 represent?

IATSE Local 600 represents technicians and craft persons in the following crafts: directors of photography, camera operators, camera assistants, loaders, digital imaging technicians, still photographers, studio and unit publicists, etc.

PERSPECTIVE

What are your members’ main concerns?

In a freelance industry like ours, our members’ central concern is getting the next job. Beyond that, I’d say that health and safety, a commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and in general quality of life, have become their main concerns.

How long have you been with the union?

I have been with Local 600 for over 28 years. In fact, when I started, it was Local 644. We became a national local in 1996, when Local 600 was formed as a result of the merger of the three IATSE local unions with jurisdiction over camera-related crafts in the United States.

Why did you become involved with organized labor, and your union in particular?

I was a graduate student researcher on a project to study labor relations in the entertainment industry that Cornell ILR [School for Industrial and Labor Relations] put together. My focus was on the below-the-line unions. I became fascinated with the issues affecting the craft unions and, as my research progressed, I was interested in working with the unions on the labor side. My father and uncles belonged to the UAW, so I grew up with an understanding of labor issues.

What are you most proud of about your union?

Its inclusiveness and ability to adapt. Local 600 and the IATSE in general have seen a lot of changes in my 28-plus years. This has included a rapid expansion in the workforce, new ownership of major feature film studios and TV networks, the switch from film to digital, the rise of new players like Netflix and Hulu, and the development of new production centers in the United States and Canada. In general, my union has taken on all of these changes and more. I think this is due in equal parts to adhering to the fundamentals of union organizing and facing the new technologies of production head-on. As new crafts developed in the digital world, we organized them. We also train our members in the latest production technologies.

What do you think are a union’s strongest tools when entering a negotiation?

Solidarity. It sounds like a pat answer, I know, but without a common commitment among the members and even between

union locals, we cannot press the employers in negotiations. It is what gives lead negotiators the power to make the changes we want at the bargaining table. Solidarity is built through several efforts by Local 600: frequent screenings of members’ work, our long history of training so our members’ skills are current, and our Craft Committees, where members meet to discuss issues and help focus our training programs.

You have been involved in lobbying. What are the keys to successful lobbying, especially when unions have become a political target?

My main lobbying efforts have been on behalf of the New York State Film Tax Credit Program. I think that this overall lobbying effort has been good for unions in our industry, as it broadens our reach and allows us to network with other labor unions and progressive partners across the state and the country. These tax credits have also been good for the overall New York economy, as the rewards of increased production spread to the ancillary businesses that support production, like caterers and dry cleaners, and taxes paid by producers.

How have changes in technology affected your members, both from the creative and the business side?

The switch to digital filmmaking has created profound changes for both labor and management. However, for Local 600 it has not meant a loss in crew size or jurisdiction. In fact, we’ve seen new classifications added to our rolls, as we’ve effectively made the case that they fall within our jurisdiction. The rise of new media has led to an expansion of production. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Local 600 and the IATSE International put a lot of time and effort in organizing across North America, which I think put us in an excellent position to address these new challenges.

Safety is an important issue for everyone working on set.

How does Local 600 promote safety for its members?

We work closely with our international [which covers the United States and Canada] and sister unions to promote workplace safety and to address potential workplace hazards. In this regard, I think we are fortunate in New York City to have the close relationships between the below- and above-the-line unions and guilds. Our reps regularly address safety issues with SAG-AFTRA, and we all share key information. Our union has a safety hotline and even a safety app to allow members to alert reps of problems.

Any final thoughts?

Twenty-eight years is a long time, but it goes very fast. Fortunately, there is nothing routine or mundane about representing people in our industry.

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STAFF SPOTLIGHT

David Viviano Chief Economist

BY JEFF SPURGEON

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avid Viviano, SAG-AFTRA’s chief economist and head of the Office of Media and Labor Economics, doesn’t have the catchiest job title in the union, but he and the nine others in his department have a very important task to perform on behalf of our members.

“Our work is analyzing all the contracts we cover from a business and economics perspective and looking at our employers in rigorous detail to find out how much money they have and what’s driving their business decisions. We try to provide all the departments at SAG-AFTRA with rigorous analysis of the industries we cover to help inform decision-making.”

He didn’t plan it this way, but Viviano’s background set him up perfectly for his position.

“Through high school, I always wanted to be a filmmaker. I went through Wesleyan University’s filmmaking program and took some freelance jobs, but it never really panned out for me. I had an aptitude for analyzing financial information, so I got into business school and got an MBA specializing in economics. And I was always interested in the labor movement, because I have always been really into folk music — Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie and Joan Baez — all they’re singing about is the labor movement. I hadn’t thought much about that connection until 2005, when I took a job at [then-] SAG as director of commercials research.”

Viviano and his team are tasked with covering an increasingly complex and evolving industry.

“Staying on top of the changing landscape of media and entertainment makes our jobs exciting and keeps us very busy. We have to keep up with all the developments, from the FAANG companies [Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google] to all the little media companies as well. Our work is not just sifting through data. It’s on the phone; it’s being in in-person meetings at businesses with decision-makers, either at the media companies or with the Wall Street analysts who cover them.

One of the advantages is that I and some of my colleagues with business degrees have some fluency in the business language that these people regularly speak, and I think it makes it easier for us to tease information out of them.”

Care to cast an expert’s eye on the future for SAG-AFTRA members?

“The prospects for organized labor in the entertainment sector look very bright. A lot of our members have very specialized abilities that are in high demand, and the overall media sector has always been, and will likely be, a net export business. Foreign audiences still want American content.

And the fact that American workers in the media sector are so talented, recognize the value of that talent, and are largely willing to stick together in solidarity make me very optimistic about their prospects.”

— Jeff Spurgeon is a SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member.

Open Door with Agents, CDs The New York Local’s Open Door program continues to be hugely popular. Over 1,800 members showed up for the lottery — a record turnout — and over 1,600 received appointments for one-on-one meetings with agents or casting directors. Started back in the 1970s at legacy AFTRA, Open Door connects our members with people they might not otherwise see who have direct access to job opportunities.

Looking Ahead Welcomes SAG-AFTRA Young Performers SAG-AFTRA young performers and their parents attended The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program Open House on March 15 at the program’s Paul Libin Center. SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and EVP and N.Y. Local President Rebecca Damon mingled with the young performers and their parents, and participated in the many fun and creative activities, including mask decorating, a rousing game of corn hole and meeting the Looking Ahead Program’s staff. The program offers after-school activities, workshops and topics of interest to young performers (age 17 and under) and their families. The Actors Fund’s Looking Ahead Program is generously supported by funding from the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund.

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID

New York, NY Permit No. 9313

1900 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, NY 10023

sagaftra.org/ny

Hear updates from elected leaders and staff.

/ DGA Theater, 110 West 57th St. (between 6th and 7th Avenues) DOORS OPEN AT 4:30 P.M. This meeting is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of young performers under 18 years old are welcome.

No RSVP necessary. SAG-AFTRA members, please bring your membership card or digital card in the member app (paid through April 30, 2019 or Oct. 31, 2019) for admittance.

ASL interpretation will be provided. If you require additional ADA accommodations, please let us know by contacting (212) 827-1542 or diversity@sagaftra.org.

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www.ivsballot.com/commercials2019 All eligible members were mailed a postcard on April 17, 2019 with instructions and a PIN number on how to vote online or how to request a paper ballot. If necessary, you can retrieve your PIN number at the voting website by clicking “Find My PIN”.

DEADLINE: Ballots – whether submitted online or by mail – must be received by 5 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

Learn more at sagaftra.org/commercials2019

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