March 2005

PRIME TIME/THEATRICAL AGREEMENT – OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED
AFTRA NATIOANAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GREG HESSINGER DEPARTS
H&R NOTICE – PREMIUMS DUE MARCH 15
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
SOUND RECORDINGS NOTES
BROADCAST BULLETIN
LOCAL BRIEFS
LABOR UPDATES
ACTORS’ FUND SEMINARS - NY
PROTECT YOUR SECURITY
WE REMEMBER

PRIME TIME/THEATRICAL AGREEMENT
OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED BY AFTRA AND SAG MEMBERS
In national voting, members of AFTRA and SAG voted overwhelmingly to approve a new, three-year contract covering theatrical and television production. The new pact, which provides over $200 million in wages, benefits, new jobs and other improvements for working performers, goes into effect July 1, 2005 and will remain in force until June 30, 2008. SAG, AFTRA and the AMPTP had reached tentative agreement on the deal in January.

AFTRA President John Connolly stated, "This contract represents a victory for solidarity, strategy and good sense. The majority of the negotiating committee kept their eyes on the real prize, which was to keep actors working and keep cameras rolling. The members then concurred with their votes. Make no mistake, this is a victory for working performers who understand their industry and understand this contract."

For further information on the new contract, including a summary of the agreement and the entire presentation viewed by the joint national board, please visit www.aftra.com.

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AFTRA EXECUTIVE MOVES ON
AFTRA wishes Greg Hessinger well in his new position as Executive Director with the Screen Actors Guild.

We believe that Greg's understanding of AFTRA, and his commitment to its core values of democratic leadership, staff-member partnership and hands-on local representation will serve to further facilitate and strengthen the continued collaboration of AFTRA and SAG on behalf of performers. His excellent work and unwavering dedication will be sorely missed.

We will, of course, continue our work to build the most diverse, broad-based and socially conscious union in the Media Industries under the leadership of acting National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth and National President John P. Connolly.

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H&R NOTICE
LOOK FOR YOUR AFTRA H&R PREMIUM NOTICES!
Have you received your AFTRA Health Plan Premium invoice? Remember, premiums for the April 1, 2005 quarter are due no later than March 15th. If you have not received your premium invoice by now, call the AFTRA Health Fund immediately at 1-800-562-4690. The AFTRA Health Fund has a very strict deadline for receipt of premiums – so make sure that your premium invoice and payment are sent to the AFTRA Health Fund in a timely fashion.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
“Indecency” Legislation
On February 17, H.R. 310, "The Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005," passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 389-38. The House version of the bill eliminates existing warnings and allows the FCC to assess half million dollar ($500,000) fines against both licensees and individual performers for each and every utterance deemed "indecent." The FCC’s standard for indecency remains unclear and subject to change.

Because of AFTRA’s efforts, the following modifications were made to H.R. 310 prior to its passage:

In the Bill itself:

• Higher standard of willful and intentional for indecency violations.
• Individual’s ability to pay considered when assessing fines.

From the Committee Report:

• $500,000 is ceiling on individual fines, not floor.
• Generally, companies will be subject to higher penalties than individuals.
• Consideration given to "pass-through" or indemnification clauses in individual contracts.
• Performer fines not applicable to songs recorded "in studio."
• Inadvertent utterances (such as sports figures during games) are exempt.

These changes, while they may appear modest, provide a much more favorable framework for this discussion in the Senate.

This fight is far from over. We will be asking you to contact Senators in the near future as the Senate bill moves forward and the two bills are hashed out in Conference Committee.

Free Flow of Information Act
Legislation introduced in both the House and Senate will serve to protect a reporter's ability to keep sources confidential. Reps. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.) recently introduced legislation to limit subpoenas of reporters and to prevent the compelled disclosure of confidential sources. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) introduced the same bill in the Senate.

To read the full text of the identical bills (H.R. 581 and S. 340) go to Free Flow of Information Act.

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SOUND RECORDINGS NOTES
Recording Artists – Will You be at SXSW?
Will you be attending South by Southwest? If so, visit the AFTRA booth and meet with AFTRA representatives. AFTRA will attend the March 16-19 Music Festival in Austin, Texas. Stop by and find out what’s new in your Union’s efforts to protect the rights of Recording Artists!

NOTICE PURSUANT TO SETTLEMENT IN THE MATTER OF Samuel D. Moore, et. al. v. AFTRA et. al.:

If you were:

• A ROYALTY ARTIST;
• WHO MADE ANY VOCAL RECORDING FOR (OR ON BEHALF OF) A SIGNATORY TO AFTRA’S PHONO CODE;
• AT ANY TIME UP TO JANUARY 1, 1995.

You have the right to request a review of the earnings that were reported to the AFTRA Retirement Fund on your behalf to determine whether any earnings that should have been reported on your behalf were not reported, and if not, to receive appropriate credit towards your AFTRA retirement for such earnings. This review includes any earnings that should have been reported on your behalf for any time period prior to January 1, 1995.

If you wish to file a claim for a review, please send a note requesting a “Moore Settlement Claim Form”, by mail or FAX only, to:

AFTRA Ombudsperson – Moore Settlement
260 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10016

Or by fax to (212) 532-2242

BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS ON YOUR REQUEST!

Once your request has been received, a claim form will be mailed to you so you can begin the process. If after receiving your claim form, you have any questions, the AFTRA Ombudsperson will be available to assist you.

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BROADCAST BULLETIN
Poynter Institute's Work-Life Balance Survey
Work-life balance issues are real and troubling to people who work in news organizations. Journalists and media leaders responded to a detailed online survey from Poynter and gave clear and convincing responses.

The 750 respondents tell a story of long hours, pressure to do more, missed vacations, staff cutbacks, and, as a result, a significant number of journalists are considering leaving the field. Those most at risk of leaving are young journalists, women, and minorities. But others are not far behind them in that consideration. The risk of losing journalists due to work-life balance issues is especially troubling because they also report a high level of satisfaction with the work of journalism. It is the working conditions that are at issue.

To read the full results of the survey, go to www.poynter.org.

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LOCAL BRIEFS
ABC Casting Project
ABC Television Network is accepting talent submissions for audition consideration in local areas around the country including Portland, Seattle, Twin Cities, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami and St. Louis. As part of ABC Television Network’s ongoing effort to discover and nurture a diverse pool of creative talent in the entertainment industry, the network’s Talent Development and Prime Time Casting departments are branching out across the U.S. to hold auditions for the network’s upcoming pilots as well as ABC’s Casting Project’s Talent Showcase. Check the Network Auditions/Showcases page on the AFTRA website at www.aftra.com/member/showcases.htm for specific showcase/audition information as each city’s call for submissions are announced.

New York
Victory for NY Comedians Coalition
After months of negotiations, the newly created Comedians Coalition struck a deal with the major NYC comedy clubs, including the Comedy Cellar, Gotham, StandUp NY, Dangerfield’s, and the Improv. The 300-member organization, meeting at the AFTRANY offices, approved new terms providing substantial pay increases. The agreement was reached days before a threatened job action. The goal of the coalition -- to improve the lives of standup comedians in New York City -- gained momentum when the organization's co-founders Ted Alexandro, Russ Meneve and AFTRANY board member Tom Shillue mounted a grass roots campaign featuring an effective Web-site component. The organization turned to AFTRANY for guidance during the negotiations and for additional support. For further information visit the coalition's web site at www.nycomedianscoalition.com.

NY City and State Runaway Production Bills Create More Jobs
New York City and New York State have enacted tax credits for qualified productions as part of the “Made in New York” campaign. The NYC 5% incentive complements New York State’s 10% incentive, making New York more competitive and providing increased work opportunities for the entire production community. AFTRANY’s lobbying efforts were led by Local President Roberta Reardon and Vice President Ed Fry. As a result of the “Made in New York” campaign, new TV series and pilots working under AFTRA agreements include "Love Monkey" (CBS), "Starved” (Fx), and "Stella" (Comedy Central), with more to come. Returning series include Fx's "Rescue Me" and Comedy Central's "Chappelle Show."

For further information on the tax incentives, visit the following websites:
New York State Television and Film Office - www.nylovesfilm.com/
New York City Television and Film Office - www.nyc.gov/film

Los Angeles
Free Prostate Cancer Screenings for Men Over 40
Saturday, March 12
The National Prostate Cancer Coalition will bring their medical trailer to AFTRA-LA’s parking lot and will sponsor up to 300 free tests. There are no requirements regarding income or insurance status, and everyone is welcome.

Please be assured that AFTRA will have no access to the results of any screenings.

Since prostate cancer will strike one in six men in their lifetime, with a greater risk to men with a family history of prostate cancer and higher risk to men of African American descent, taking this ten-minute test could save your life or the life of someone you care about.

If you would like to sign up, or sign up a spouse/friend/neighbor, please call Kathleen Winslow at (323) 634-8104.

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LABOR UPDATES
ANDA: The Simpson’s Spanish Voices Go On Strike In Mexico City
Actors who have been dubbing the voices of “The Simpsons” into Spanish for 15 years are on strike. We understand that Grabaciones y Doblajes insists on undermining ANDA and terms of the collective bargaining agreement. It is an extremely difficult situation when performers must resort to a strike to protect and improve their situation as workers in the media industries. However, strikes, while always our last resort, remain the most powerful and effective tool against the employers who attempt to undermine our basic human rights as workers. AFTRA has extended its unqualified support to the ANDA voice-over actors and is requesting AFTRA members not accept employment from “Grabaciones y Doblajes Internacionales” or for the dubbing of “The Simpson’s” into Spanish until this matter is resolved.

CalFed Scholarships
The California Federation of Labor (the state AFL-CIO) and its affiliated unions will award $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors throughout California in 2005. Eligible is any graduating senior from a California high school who plans to enroll in an accredited college or technical school in 2005. The deadline for submission is April 15, 2005. For additional information call (510) 663-4025, email to scholarships@calaborfed.org or visit the California Labor Federation website at www.calaborfed.org/Scholarship2005.htm.

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ACTORS’ FUND SEMINARS
New York
Women’s Health Fair
Tuesday, March 8, 2005: 10am – 4pm
AFTRA, 260 Madison Ave, 7th floor
Free mammograms, Colo-rectal cancer screening, Blood pressure, cholesterol & diabetes screening, Nutrition information & Nutritionist, Oraquick – HIV test, Sign-up for vision screening

Reservations not required. For more information please contact the Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic at (212) 489-1939.

Medicare Workshop
Wednesday, March 9, 2005: 2pm – 4pm
The Actors’ Fund offices, 729 Seventh Ave, 10th floor
Reservations required. For more information and reservations, please contact Brigid Sweeney at (212) 221-7301 Ext. 165

Everything You Wanted to Know about Taxes … but were too afraid to ask
with Conard Fowkes of VITA - Learn to make your taxes work for you
Monday, March 14, 2005: 5pm – 7pm
The Actors’ Fund offices, 729 Seventh Ave., 10th floor

Women’s Peer Support Group
Thursdays, March 31 to May 19, 2005: 6pm to 7:30pm
The Actors’ Fund offices, 729 Seventh Ave., 10th floor.
An 8-week group for women in mid-life, exploring issues relating to the challenges of aging in the entertainment community. Interview required, contact Carol Mannes at (212) 221-7300 ext. 143

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PROTECT YOUR SECURITY!
Protect yourself from the growing problem of Identity Theft: Avoid using your social security number on any public document. Use your AFTRA Performer ID Number (that’s the number on your AFTRA Membership Card, not the number on your AFTRA Health and Retirement Card) whenever you fill out audition sign-in sheets, member reports or send correspondence to the Union. Do not put your social security number on resumes or head shots. If you can’t find your AFTRA Membership Card, call your local AFTRA office.

If you are communicating with the AFTRA H&R Funds, use your participant ID number on your AFTRA Health Fund card. If you have a question about your participant ID number for AFTRA H&R purposes, contact the Funds office directly at 1-800-562-4690.

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WE REMEMBER

	Steve Susskind (1942-2005) A Memorial Celebration will take place on March 8, 2005, at 7 P.M. THE WRITERS GUILD THEATRE 135 S. DOHENY BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA
	George Herman (1920-2005), a groundbreaking correspondent for CBS for 43 years and moderator of the network's "Face the Nation" program for more than 14 years. He was the first CBS correspondent to file sound and film reports from abroad, the first reporter to broadcast coverage of the Watergate break-in and was assigned to cover the Kennedy White House. Mr. Herman landed with United Nations troops at Inchon, became CBS' Far East bureau chief, and covered the 1948 Democratic Political Convention. A dedicated AFTRA member, Mr. Herman served as AFTRA's Third Vice President from 1967-68, was a National Vice President from 1969 to 1984, a member of the National Board from 1967 to 1984, President of AFTRA's Washington/Baltimore Local from 1973-74 and a member of the Washington/Baltimore Local Board for twenty years. Mr. Herman is survived by his wife, Patricia, three sons and six grandchildren.
	Ossie Davis (1917-2005), a distinguished actor known for his roles dealing with racial injustice on stage and screen as well as in his life, along with his wife of over 50 years, Ruby Dee. Davis wrote, acted, directed and produced for the theater and Hollywood, and was a central figure among black performers of the last five decades. When not on stage or on camera, Davis and Dee were deeply involved in civil rights issues and efforts to promote the cause of blacks in the entertainment industry. In 2004, Davis and Dee were among the artists selected to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. Along with film, stage and television, the couple's careers extended to a radio show, "The Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee Story Hour," that ran on 65 stations for four years in the mid-1970s, featuring a mix of black themes.
	Bill Shadel (1909-2005), a journalist who covered D-Day for CBS Radio, became an ABC television anchor and moderated the third presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon in 1960. Mr. Shadel worked with Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Eric Sevareid and Howard K. Smith, and later became a communications professor at the University of Washington. Out of more than 500 U.S. reporters in Europe, Mr. Shadel was among 28 present to give firsthand reports on the D-Day landings. Tapes of his wartime broadcasts are still used in journalism schools across the country. He is survived by his wife, Julie Strouse Shadel, three sons and two grandchildren.

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