NO! to 400 hours

[David Allen Grove]

I guess my point is, in reference to the operator position loss (and it must of been lost in translation somewhere,) that our contract (yes, I realize it's under the entire IATSE umbrella) is not gaining anything. Rather, we are losing what we have... AGAIN. It's an erosion of our contract.

 

We lost the mandatory operator position last time.. that's gone forever.. this time the hours are at stake.

 

As far as my suggestions? Looking at the real numbers. Hours worked and how much is in the bank.

This has already been suggested and I believe someone will be taking up that task.

 

My other point is many folks will be losing their health care. Individuals and those who have families that rely on 300 hours.

 

Don't know how else to put it. This isn't a good thing.

 

Oh, I know! IATSE can invest in foreign commoditites and gold to help fund it. (I'm joking here so no need to reply regarding investments)

[Dan Coplan]

I'm a little confused as to why we need to give up anything. It seems like every year we're obligated to give up something to appease the producers. Are we gaining anything in return to make the deal equitable?

 

If we continue contract after contract to give up a little here and there we really will be left with nothing.

 

I know my comments aren't lending any further intelligence to this conversation and I really would like to increase my education about these issues, but this is a good forum for venting.

 

Dan

[David Allen Grove]

I forgot to mention that this also affects our pension plan.

 

If you don't get your hours/years.. you don't get a pension. OUCH!

[Michael Stumpf]

I'm a little confused as to why we need to give up anything. It seems like every year we're obligated to give up something to appease the producers. Are we gaining anything in return to make the deal equitable?

 

 

Dan

 

 

We gained new media this year.

Meaning webisodes, and other forms.

That means more opportunity for union work.

That means more union hours, which means more people working union, which means more hours.

 

Yes the 400 hours stink.

But think of it this way:

 

The average job in America makes people work 30 hours minimum per week to be considered "full time" and get health insurance benefits. That's 780 hours in the 6 month (26 week period).

And even then, many of them still have to pay a percentage out of their paychecks ($15-20 per week) for their health insurance. On top of that, often they have co-pays and deductibles that are higher than ours. On top of that, they don't have as good of coverage either. On top of that, they don't make as much as we do.

 

Yes, again, it stinks that the health industry is in such a rut. It stinks that as American citizens we have to pay for health coverage, but an illegal can walk into any hospital or emergency room and get treated and most don't pay...so we do. There are arguments for national health insurance that would cover every AMERICAN. And like in other countries non-citizens should have to pay, or their countries should.

However, if we had national health insurance, we'd still pay, because like Canada, rest assured our taxes would go way up to do so.

 

With more and more people out of work (in all professions not just entertainment) due to the economy that's less people covered with health insurance.

 

As Lawrence has pointed out, there really is no other way or choice.

Let me tell you guys this too. The producers wanted to raise it to 600 hours to qualify AND drop the bank down to 300.

We kept the 450 which is great, and the IA compromised on the 400 to qualify.

 

But again, with the gains in new media formats now under our jurisdiction the members have MORE opportunities for union work and therefore hours.

And although the 3% raises each year aren't great consider this too:

My wife has not gotten a raise at here work in nearly 3 years (3 years in February).

I recently heard on the news that businesses are not only NOT giving raises due to the economy they are reducing pay for their employees. That's right, in this economy in order for many businesses to survive they are making their employees take a PAY CUT in order to keep from being laid off.

 

It's the best we could do. Now hopefully the idiots running SAG will see that the offer they've been given is pretty good at this point and not strike.

That would hurt us all WAY, WAY more than raising the hours to 400 to qualify for health insurance.

 

Regards.

[Philip J. Martinez SOC]

HI Michael,

 

Let me 1st say I am not in the union right now but hope to be joining in early 2009.

Right now I pay around $1,000.00 per month for my family (wife and 2 kids). I got a letter from my insurance company stating my rates will be going up 14% in 2009

 

What I do not understand is what the Producers have to do with the qualifying hours and the bank hours? I thought production paid a union employee their rate & P&W for every hour worked. How would the hours needed to qualify affect the budget of any union show?

[Michael Stumpf]

HI Michael,

 

Let me 1st say I am not in the union right now but hope to be joining in early 2009.

Right now I pay around $1,000.00 per month for my family (wife and 2 kids). I got a letter from my insurance company stating my rates will be going up 14% in 2009

 

What I do not understand is what the Producers have to do with the qualifying hours and the bank hours? I thought production paid a union employee their rate & P&W for every hour worked. How would the hours needed to qualify affect the budget of any union show?

 

Because producers pay health contributions. We don't get the coverage we get for just working 300 hours every 6 months, it costs a lot more than that and it's the productions that pay the difference.

More hours on our part means they pay in less.

And like you noted health insurance rates keep going up, therefore the production studios need to pay more which therefore they are "passing on some of that" to us as well in the form of more hours needed to qualify.

[Dan Coplan]

> We gained new media this year...That means more opportunity for union work...That means more union hours, which means more people working union, which means more hours.

 

I didn't know this - this is at least good news. BUT, the producers are only pursuing new media because it will make them money - nothing wrong with that, that's business. So if there's more production that means there's more revenue and if there's more revenue I don't see how that equates to us giving up benefits. And yes, it's a nice comparison that we have a better plan than others out there, but - and I apologize if this sounds cold - so what? Their business is their business and our business is ours.

 

I don't compare myself to my neighbor who's making twice as much as me. He made a choice with his life to pursue a particular path and he has whatever deal he has - and that has nothing to do with me. And I chose my path. But I chose it based on a set of existing agreements which are now being threatened for no apparent justifiable reason other than some very crafty spinning.

 

By the way, here's another great big F**K YOU. For those of us unfortunate enough to be paying for COBRA, the absurd rate is currently $387.82/month. In January this number will jump to $435.69! A $5 or $10 hike I can see, but almost $50/month more is a serious ass raping for which I'll need health insurance because I can already anticipate the rectal bleeding.

 

Dan "Full of Holiday Cheer" Coplan