AFTRA FLASH!

Negotiating Is What Unions Do Best
AFTRA and SAG have reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to extend the current TV/Theatrical contract for one year, pending ratification of the deal. The extended deal – which was approved by the joint AFTRA-SAG National Board February 20 and is expected to go before the AFTRA and SAG full memberships by referendum within the next 30 days – would be effective July 1, 2004 and conclude on June 30, 2005. To learn more, go to http://www.aftra.com/press/pr_20040220_sag_aft_agree.htm.

Health And Retirement Funds Update:
If you are a participant in the AFTRA H&R plans, remember that premium payments for the April 1 quarter are due no later than March 15. If you have not received your invoice by now, contact the AFTRA H&R Funds office immediately at 1-800-562-4690.

Did you know that you could arrange for your bank to automatically send your AFTRA H&R premium payments directly to the Funds? Or that you can pre-pay your premiums for the entire year and avoid the worry? Questions? Call the AFTRA H&R Office at 800-562-4690.

AFTRA H&R Funds participants should also be on the lookout in the mail for the official H&R Newsletter from the AFTRA H&R Funds in upcoming weeks, which will include news about new PPO networks going into effect on July 1, 2004 (PHCS for all areas other than California, Blue Cross/CA for California).

Scholarships Available For Members and Kin
If you are going back to school or have a family member heading off to college, apply for an AFTRA/Heller Memorial Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship was established to honor the key founder of the Union, George Heller. The deadline for submission of applications is May 1. Detailed information regarding the scholarship and application forms to download are available on the AFTRA website at http://www.aftra.org/benefits/scholarship.htm.

AFTRA Fighting The Good Fight
A press conference was held to speak out against media consolidation after the oral arguments in the case of Prometheus vs. FCC in Philadelphia, filed in opposition to the broadcast media ownership rules passed by the FCC in June 2003. AFTRA National Director of News/Broadcast Tom Carpenter participated, along with representatives from the Media Access Project, Common Cause and The Newspaper Guild. To read their statements, visit http://www.aftra.org/locals/Philadelphia/comments.html.

Union Report Blasts Clear Channel
The FCC held its “localism” hearing in San Antonio in January. AFTRA and other consumer and labor groups released a Cornell University report on Clear Channel that found “…Clear Channel exemplifies a number of the detrimental effects that media ownership concentration can have on workers and society as a whole.” AFTRA’s Director of News /Broadcast Tom Carpenter participated along with Linda Foley, president of The Newspaper Guild; Ray Hair, International Executive Officer of AFM; and Chellie Pingree, President of Common Cause. The report is available at: http://www.dpeaflcio.org/pdf/Clear%20Channel%20_Final%20Report%201-28-04.pdf

The FCC Localism Task Force is holding another hearing in Monterey, CA in March. For information, go to http://www.fcc.gov/localism/.

AFTRA Shows Winning Accolades
TV critics named Fox’s freshman series Arrested Development the best show on television, according to TelevisionWeek’s semiannual critics’ poll. Arrested’s win marks the first time in 5 ½ years that the nation’s television critics have bestowed the title on a comedy. The last sitcom to win the poll was Frasier in July 1998.

Other AFTRA shows highlighted include Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart finishing No. 2. CBS’s freshman drama Joan of Arcadia made its debut on the list as the best drama on television and No. 3 pick overall.

Helping Bring The Olympics To New York
AFTRA and SAG have granted a waiver to NYC 2012, the not-for-profit organization that is working to bring the Olympics to New York City in 2012. The waiver that was granted will permit AFTRA and SAG members to donate their services for promotional materials. If you have any questions, contact the AFTRA NY Commercials department at 212-532-0800.

New Website Guest Appearance
Have you seen the new AFTRA website yet? Jimmy Kimmel has. Host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel appeared on the newly designed home page in January, and showed the site on his show on a laptop saying “… I’m honored to be pictured on the AFTRA website. AFTRA is the union that most everybody that’s in TV is part of.” If you haven’t checked the site recently, click here www.aftra.org.

Is Overtime Over?
The United States Senate turned its back on the American worker when it passed a massive omnibus spending bill in January, which did not include an overtime pay provision preventing changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. A statement released by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney pledged continued opposition to the overtime pay takeaway: “We will continue to wage a national mobilization to block the overtime pay cuts and we will consider every possible vehicle to block them.” Take action at http://www.aftra.org/legislative/action.htm

Join, Save and Lose
Discounts are now available for union members on health club memberships across the country. You can save 20-60% on initiation and monthly fees at over 1, 500 gyms, including Gold’s Gym and Bally’s. For more information, visit www.unionplus.org/health-clubs.cfm.

Do You “Know Your Rights?”
AFTRA is co-sponsoring the upcoming Global Entertainment and Media Summit April 3 & 4 in New York City. Ann Chaitovitz, AFTRA’s National Director of Sound Recordings will take part in a panel entitled “Know Your Rights” (or “Show Me Your Money”) that will focus on how to protect the rights of performers and songwriters. AFTRA members are eligible for the discounted admission of $79 until March 20. For more information on the Summit, go to www.globalentertainmentnetwork.com. To purchase tickets, go to www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=62570.

Your President At Work
John Connolly will speak at “Can Media Artists Survive Media Consolidation,” a conference presented by the Center for Creative Voices in Media on March 13 at the Writers Guild Theatre in Los Angeles. Other speakers include Congresswoman Diane Watson, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, former president of the WGA Victoria Riskin and others. Writers, producers, directors, performers and other concerned citizens are invited to attend. For more information, visit http://www.creativevoices.us/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=52.

President Connolly has also been appointed to the Board of the California Entertainment Industry Development Corp [EIDC], which works to strengthen Hollywood's position as a center of entertainment production.

Digital Music Forum
Digital Media Wire presents the Digital Music Forum, to take place March 1 in New York City. The forum will bring together executives from technology and music companies to examine digital media opportunities. AFTRA members are eligible for the discounted rate of $200. If you are interested, sign up at http://kb.digitalmediawire.com/register.php?eventid=1063.

In Memoriam
We’ve lost a number of great media talents recently: Bob Keeshan, Ann Miller, Jan Miner ("Madge") and Jack Paar, among others, but one loss touched President John Connolly in an especially personal way. Ed Sciaky, one of the progenitors of the rise of Free Form FM radio at WHAT and WMMR in Philadelphia, died suddenly at the end of January. From a teen enthusiast to a veteran professional, Ed lived and loved radio. Connolly recalls “crisp and stark college winter nights, sitting in the dark, listening to Ed spin air into gold over WMMR. I will miss him, as will his fans and friends from Bruce Springsteen to his colleagues on the Philadelphia AFTRA Executive Board.” For more about Sciaky, visit http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=216643.

Also, Evelyn Freyman (left), a founding member of the Washington-Baltimore local of AFRA (American Federation of Radio Artists) died February 16 at the age of 92. Evelyn served as president of the Washington-Baltimore local from 1941-48, and then as executive secretary of the AFTRA Local from 1948-83. Throughout her career, Evelyn was recognized as one of the most influential women of American stage and broadcasting.

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