ALEC BALDWIN NAMED SAG FOUNDATION AMBASSADOR
Award-Winning Actor to Raise Awareness, Funding for Actors’ Charity
LOS ANGELES (January 23, 2011) – The Screen Actors Guild Foundation is proud to announce Alec Baldwin as its first Ambassador, a new position designed to draw attention to the national non-profit organization and its ongoing work as a vital, humanitarian support system within the acting community. The announcement was made today by SAG Foundation President, JoBeth Williams.
Baldwin’s role as Ambassador will raise awareness within the acting community to highlight the Foundation’s philanthropic programs while encouraging the greater public to provide much-needed contributions. A new public service announcement featuring Baldwin will premiere at the Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony taking place January 29, continuing the show’s history as a champion of the SAG Foundation’s mission to assist, educate, and inspire. The SAG Awards® and its sponsors have long supported the SAG Foundation’s efforts, among them the children’s literacy core program BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools), which engages 2000 actors nationwide in reading to over 100,000 children each month. The SAG Foundation also administers the Catastrophic Health Fund and Emergency Assistance Programs, which provide financial aid to professional actors who are suffering from work-prohibitive illness or injury or are struggling to maintain the basic necessities of life. In addition, the SAG Foundation’s Actor Center and Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab are unique educational facilities.
“The SAG Foundation is extremely fortunate to have Alec Baldwin on board as our first SAG Ambassador,” says SAG Foundation President JoBeth Williams. “His talent, intelligence, and compassion will greatly benefit the countless working actors we serve on a daily basis. By accepting this position, Alec is already speaking on behalf of his fellow actor, and his involvement will do much to strengthen and protect the artistic community.”
The announcement also coincides with Baldwin’s two current SAG Award® nominations for his work in the series “30 Rock”, for outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series as well as his role in the show’s ensemble.
“It is personally important to me that SAG members support the SAG Foundation,” says Baldwin. “Through my involvement, I hope to bring greater recognition to its philanthropic and educational efforts.”
ABOUT SAG FOUNDATION
Founded in 1985, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is an educational, humanitarian and philanthropic national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the SAG Foundation is to assist, educate and inspire actors toward their fullest potential in career, life, and community. Our programs reflect the concerns and interests of actors as well as their desire to “give back” to their communities. Programs include the Catastrophic Health Fund and assistance programs, Life Raft, Conversations, Casting Access Project, which all offer career knowledge and inspiration, as well as the award winning children’s literacy programs, BookPALS and Storyline Online. In addition, the SAG Foundation Actors Center and the Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab are unprecedented resource and educational facilities located in Los Angeles. The Foundation is independent from SAG and relies solely on the support from grants, corporate sponsorships, bequests, and individual contributions to maintain our programs and create new ones. Visit www.sagfoundation.org.
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SAG-AFTRA MERGER DOCUMENTS NOW AVAILABLE
Dear SAG and AFTRA Members:
As you know, merger referendum ballots are scheduled to be mailed on or about February 27 – but members of both unions now have access to the complete merger documents online. Full printed merger documents will also be mailed to each voter with the referendum ballot, which will be due for return by 10 a.m. PT on March 30. This will give each member ample time to make a thoughtful and well-informed decision. Please click the below links to view the SAG-AFTRA Merger Agreement, SAG-AFTRA Constitution and the Pension & Health / Health & Retirement Feasibility Report.
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE SAG-AFTRA MERGER AGREEMENT.
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE SAG-AFTRA CONSTITUTION.
CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE P&H/H&R FEASIBILITY REPORT.
As a reminder, watch for the launch of the new joint website to provide members all the information they’ll want to consider before casting their votes. The website will include complete merger details, FAQs, and a comprehensive calendar of events to alert members nationwide to informational meetings and other opportunities for learning about the plan. Watch your email later this week for details of the website launch.
After more than a year of intensive work, we are extremely proud to bring you this historic opportunity. We also want to acknowledge the ceaseless dedication of the AFTRA and SAG members and staff who came together as the Group for One Union (G1) to produce this remarkable plan. We look forward to sharing all the details and answering any questions you may have. Finally, we are confident that SAG and AFTRA members will embrace this singular chance to harness the true power of unity, and that SAG-AFTRA will protect members and shape the entertainment and media industries for decades to come.
In unity,
Ken Howard, President
Screen Actors Guild
Roberta Reardon, President
AFTRA
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STATEMENT FROM SAG NATIONAL PRESIDENT KEN HOWARD REGARDING THE AFTRA NATIONAL BOARD VOTE
LOS ANGELES (January 28, 2012) — Screen Actors Guild National President Ken Howard released the following statement regarding the AFTRA National Board vote on the proposed merger with Screen Actors Guild:
“This is a terrific outcome and I offer my sincere thanks and congratulations to AFTRA’s National Board and National President Roberta Reardon. Professional performers are now an important step closer to the strongest union representation possible. Just as our boards have, I believe our members will decisively approve this merger and that SAG-AFTRA will be a leader in shaping the entertainment and media industries.”
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About SAG
Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 Branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 125,000 actors who work in film and digital motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, corporate/educational, Internet and all new media formats. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit SAG online at SAG.org.
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SCREEN ACTORS GUILD NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES MERGER PACKAGE WITH AFTRA
LOS ANGELES (January 27, 2012) – The Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors today voted overwhelmingly to approve and recommend a plan to merge with AFTRA. The board met in a regularly scheduled plenary meeting in the James Cagney Board Room at the Guild’s Los Angeles headquarters and voted after reviewing a merger package put forward by the SAG and AFTRA Group for One Union (G1) that includes a Merger Agreement and Constitution.
Collectively, these documents outline the plan of merger, dues and finance structure, membership requirements, and other basic attributes of the successor union. The same merger package must now be approved by AFTRA’s National Board of Directors which is scheduled to meet on Jan. 28, to review and vote on the package. Should the AFTRA board approve the merger package as well, a referendum will be sent out for a vote by members of both unions in the coming weeks.
The proposed name for the new union is SAG-AFTRA.
The resolution read:
“It was moved and seconded that the National Board of Directors, on the recommendation of the Merger Task Force, approves the proposed Merger Agreement between Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and further approves the proposed SAG-AFTRA Constitution. The National Board directs that the proposed Constitution and Merger Agreement be submitted for membership approval by mailed ballot referendum, in cooperation with AFTRA. The referendum materials and ballot shall be mailed on or about February 27, 2012, with a ballot return and tabulation deadline of March 30, 2012.”
Approved: 87.1% – 12.9%
The G1 held five rounds of meetings to create the successor union merger package. The meetings, which began in June of 2011, followed an historic Listening Tour conducted by SAG National President Ken Howard and AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. The G1 finished its work January 16 with a vote approving the merger package debated and approved today by the SAG National Board.
Follow SAG Communications on Twitter (twitter.com/sagnews) and Facebook (facebook.com/screenactorsguild)
About SAG
Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 Branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 125,000 actors who work in film and digital motion pictures and television programs, commercials, video games, corporate/educational, Internet and all new media formats. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit SAG online at SAG.org.
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Contact: Pamela Greenwalt
Communications Executive Director
Screen Actors Guild
(323) 440-2892
pgreenwalt@sag.org
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SAG & AFTRA REACH AGREEMENT ON MERGER PACKAGE FOR RECOMMENDATION TO SAG AND AFTRA NATIONAL BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
LOS ANGELES (January 16, 2012) – The AFTRA and SAG Group for One Union (G1) met for nine days in Los Angeles to continue the process of creating a successor union to SAG and AFTRA. After productive discussions and reaching consensus, a Merger Package was approved by the G1 to send to the respective boards of AFTRA and SAG for approval. The SAG National Board of Directors will meet on Jan. 27 and 28 to review and vote on the package, which includes a Merger Agreement and Constitution. The AFTRA National Board of Directors will meet on Jan. 28 and, if needed, Jan. 29 to review and vote on the package.
Details of the proposed merger package will not be released prior to the AFTRA and SAG board meetings.
“What we have accomplished over the last year is tremendously gratifying. We are confident our members will agree that we have created something we can all be proud of – actors, singers, broadcasters, dancers, voiceover artists, background actors, stuntpersons and all entertainment and media professionals that will be represented by this new union. The consensus process allowed our G1 members to fully discuss, debate and reach agreement on critical provisions that form a strong foundation for a single union that will protect and strengthen the future for all our members,” said SAG National President Ken Howard and AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon.
The G1 began its fifth round of talks on January 7 and concluded January 16. Meetings were held at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel and at AFTRA and SAG headquarters Los Angeles.
The SAG and AFTRA merger planning process and G1 meetings were facilitated by Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations Professor Susan J. Schurman and noted labor consultant Peter S. DiCicco using principles of interest-based problem solving and consensus decision making.
Timeline of the One Union Process
April 2010, AFTRA’s top elected leaders published an open letter in AFTRA Magazine about their commitment to creating one media and entertainment union for all performers, recording artists and broadcast professionals.
July 2010, Presidents Howard and Reardon created the “Presidents’ Forum for One Union” to facilitate focused and informal discussions between leaders of the two unions and their members to establish a common vision for a single, new national union.
November 2010, the first meeting of what would become the Listening Tour was conducted in New York City. The Presidents were able to speak directly with members about the benefits of a potential merger. The members were able to hear directly from the Presidents how the unions might approach preparation for a merger effort.
June 17-19, 2011 AFTRA and SAG convened the first formal face-to-face discussions between the SAG Merger Task Force and the AFTRA New Union Committee at the AFL-CIO’s National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The two groups formally created the Group for One Union (G1) to facilitate the creation of a successor union to represent all of the members of SAG and AFTRA. The G1 established a series of workgroups to discuss six key areas that rank-and-file members identified as important during the AFTRA and SAG Presidents’ Forum for One Union nationwide Listening Tour. The six workgroups established were:
1. Governance & Structure
2. Finance & Dues
3. Collective Bargaining
4. Pension, Health & Retirement
5. Operations & Staff
6. Member Education & Outreach
Following the initial meeting of the Group for One Union in June, the six G1 workgroups began a series of meetings to develop recommendations to be considered by the full Group for One Union. The workgroups meetings continued through 2011 and resulted in comprehensive proposals reviewed by the G1.
August 27-29 — The weekend that Hurricane Irene struck the East Coast and New York City, the G1 met by video and teleconference for the second round of talks and received reports back from each of the six G1 workgroups on achievements to date.
Oct. 14 – 18 and Dec. 11 – 12, 2011, and January 7 – 16, 2012, the G1 met in Los Angeles and received status reports from its six workgroups. The workgroups will continue meeting to develop recommendations for consideration by the full G1. These recommendations formed the basis of the merger agreement, constitution and dues structure that each union’s National Board has required for review by January 2012.
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Screen Actors Guild Announces Results of National Board Elections
Howard and Aquino Re-Elected President, Secretary-Treasurer
Los Angeles (September 22, 2011) — Screen Actors Guild today announced the results of elections for its top two elected positions and National Board. Ken Howard has been re-elected for a second term as Screen Actors Guild president, and Amy Aquino will continue in her role as secretary-treasurer. Both will serve two-year terms, beginning September 25.
Ballots for the national officers election were mailed to 100,994 paid-up SAG members on August 23, and 23,459 were tabulated today, for a return of 23.23 percent. Howard received 17,492 votes, with David Hillberg getting 3,047 votes, Sharon Rubin receiving 1,681 votes and Asmar Muhammad receiving 855 votes. Aquino ran unopposed and received 20,399 votes.
“There’s nothing more important than members exercising their right to vote, and I’m very grateful for their continued support,” said Howard. “With so many pro-merger candidates elected again this year, there’s no doubt what members want, and I look forward to presenting a comprehensive plan to the SAG and AFTRA national boards in January.”
“Two years ago, SAG members definitively set the Guild on the road to merger, and this election confirms they want it more than ever,” Aquino said. “I’ll continue working to strengthen SAG’s operations and finances, and I’m honored to be able to help my fellow performers achieve the crucial goal of creating one union.”
A working actor for more than 40 years, Howard has an extensive resume that includes work on television, movies and the stage, including the upcoming Clint Eastwood biopic J. Edgar. An Emmy and Tony Award winner, he helped create and starred in The White Shadow from 1978 – 1982, and has had recurring roles on 30 Rock, Dynasty, Melrose Place and Crossing Jordan. He is the author of the book Act Natural, and serves as the chancellor of the National Kidney Foundation.
Aquino’s career in acting spans more than two decades. She has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including Moonstruck, Law & Order, Castle, Monk, ER, CSI and Everybody Loves Raymond just to name a few. She also has an extensive career in theater, and holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama.
Screen Actors Guild also announced election results for the National Board of Directors. Approximately one third of the 69 national board seats were open for election this year, representing Screen Actors Guild’s Hollywood, New York and Regional Branch divisions.
Screen Actors Guild National Executive Director David White welcomed new members, as well as those who were re-elected.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to President Howard, Secretary-Treasurer Aquino and all of the new and returning members of the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors,” he said. “I look forward to working with the officers and board members during such an exciting period in the Guild’s life. We have a lot of terrific work ahead of us.”
SAG’s Hollywood Division elected 12 National Board members; the New York Division elected five National Board members; and seven National Board members were elected from the union’s branches in Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Houston, Nashville, Nevada and Washington-Baltimore.
National Board members elected from the Hollywood Division: Tony Shalhoub, Ken Howard, Adam Arkin, Amy Aquino, Stephen Collins, D.W. Moffett, Scott Bakula, Ned Vaughn, Mimi Cozzens, Arye Gross, L. Scott Caldwell (three-year terms) and Kate Flannery (one-year term).
The following were elected to serve as National Board alternates and to the Hollywood Division Board of Directors (one-year terms): Valerie Harper, Ellen Crawford, Esai Morales, Stacey Travis, John Carroll Lynch, Lisa Vidal, Christine Lakin, Michael O’Neill, Mandy Steckelberg, Tara Radcliffe, Michelle Allsopp, Bob Bergen, Assaf Cohen, Jon Huertas, Sarayu Rao, Allen Lulu, Woody Schultz, Donal Logue, Patrick Fabian, Iqbal Theba, Bertila Damas and Parvesh Cheena.
National Board members elected from the New York Division (three-year terms): Rebecca Damon, Lewis Black, Sam Robards, Ezra Knight and Jay Potter.
Additionally, New York Division members re-elected Mike Hodge for a two-year term as New York Division president. Hodge received 3,185 votes with Sam Robards receiving 2,276 votes.
The following were elected to serve as National Board alternates and to the New York Division Board of Directors (one-year terms): Traci Godfrey, Mark Blum, Marc Baron, John Rothman, Kevin Scullin, Dave Bachman, Matt Servitto, Phoebe Jonas and Manny Alfaro.
National Board members elected from the Regional Branch Division (three-year terms): Bill Mootos (Boston), Suzanne Burkhead (Dallas/Ft. Worth), Ed Kelly (Detroit), Robert Nelson (Houston), Cece DuBois (Nashville), Art Lynch (Nevada) and Steven F. Schmidt (Washington-Baltimore).
Ballots for all eligible SAG members in Hollywood and New York were mailed on August 23 with a September 22 return deadline and were tabulated today by the independent election company Integrity Voting Systems. A total of 10,621 ballots were tabulated in the Hollywood Division (representing 19.37 percent of ballots mailed in the Hollywood Division) and 5,739 ballots were tabulated in the New York Division (representing 25.11 percent of ballots mailed in the New York Division). The number of ballots returned in the Regional Branch elections varied by region.
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A Message to New York SAG Members from KEN HOWARD
As we head into the Labor Day weekend, I’d like to remind New York SAG members how important it is to vote in this election. I’m not just asking you to support me as SAG President and Amy Aquino as Secretary-Treasurer. I’m also urging you to vote for Mike Hodge as New York President, along with all 11 terrific USAN Board candidates.
Amy and I – and our Unite for Strength colleagues in Hollywood – have partnered with Mike Hodge and USAN from day one. Working together, we’ve led a national coalition that rejected the divisive tactics of previous leaders and put SAG and AFTRA back on a path to unity. I’ve gotten to know Mike and the USAN team extremely well over the last three years, and their commitment to serving SAG members is unsurpassed.
That commitment was in full force last weekend, when Hurricane Irene threatened to derail the second round of merger talks between SAG and AFTRA. Refusing to accept defeat, Mike, Rebecca Damon, and other USAN leaders leapt into action and helped turn what could easily have become a disappointing loss into a productive and important set of meetings. Effective leadership like that comes from experience – it’s one more reason Mike Hodge and USAN are the leaders I trust.
The most critical work to achieve the goal of uniting SAG and AFTRA is happening right now, and the contributions of Mike Hodge and USAN are an essential part of developing the right merger plan. They know that getting the job done is important – but getting it done right is crucial. Like me, they won’t accept any plan that doesn’t protect and strengthen our future.
USAN helped begin this process and with their continued leadership, we’re on track to deliver a recommendation for a formal merger agreement to the SAG and AFTRA national boards in January. If the boards approve the plan, it will be sent to members so they can vote to determine if SAG and AFTRA will become one union.
And just as they took the time to hear the hopes and concerns of New York members before the process began, Mike and the USAN team will make sure New York members have all the information they need – in printed materials, online, and through extensive informational meetings – to make a truly informed decision before voting.
When it comes to protecting the vital interests of New York SAG members, there’s no substitute for the proven leadership of Mike Hodge and USAN. They’ve delivered real results, time and again, and have the experience and insight necessary to lead all performers into a stronger future together.
I hope you have a safe and happy Labor Day.
In unity,
Ken Howard
*** USAN 2011 VOTER GUIDE ***
(Listed by ballot number)
Ken Howard - President
Amy Aquino - Secretary – Treasurer
Mike Hodge - NY Division President
1 - Ezra Knight
4 - Jay Potter
6 - John Rothman
7 - Kevin Scullin
9 - Manny Alfaro
11 - Dave Bachman
12- Marc Baron
14 - Lewis Black
15 - Mark Blum
16 - Rebecca Damon
19 - Traci Godfrey
VOTE FOR THE USAN OFFICER AND 11 BOARD CANDIDATES.
MAIL YOUR BALLOT BY SEPTEMBER 20!
Diverse, Proven, Effective. USAN is the team you can trust.
Not paid for by SAG funds. SAG officer titles do not indicate endorsement by Screen Actors Guild.
For a Sample Ballot for USAN candidates
click here
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For a Sample Ballot for USAN candidates
click here
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 26, 2011
USAN ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR 2011 SAG NATIONAL AND NY DIVISION ELECTIONS.
NY PRESIDENT MIKE HODGE REAFFIRMS INTENT TO DELIVER MERGER PLAN IN JANUARY.
United Screen Actors Nationwide is proud to announce its candidates for the 2011 SAG National and New York Division Elections. The slate includes Ken Howard for National President, Amy Aquino for National Secretary Treasurer, Mike Hodge for NY Division President, and the following candidates for the National and NY Division Boards of Directors: Manny Alfaro, Dave Bachman, Marc Baron, Lewis Black, Mark Blum, Rebecca Damon, Traci Godfrey, Ezra Knight, Jay Potter, John Rothman, and Kevin Scullin.
SAG National President Ken Howard said, “NY President Mike Hodge and the USAN team are the right choice for New York members who want one union now. Under USAN’s leadership, SAG renewed and strengthened our historic partnership with AFTRA, and in just a few months we’ll be making the most crucial decision ever about our future as one union.
“USAN made merger a possibility, and every step of the way, NY President Mike Hodge has shown that he understands and will protect the diverse needs of all NY members. With so much at stake, you should accept nothing less than the proven leadership of Mike Hodge and USAN. They are the leaders I trust.”
SAG Secretary Treasurer Amy Aquino noted, “Working with Mike Hodge and USAN has made one thing clear: they are fiercely committed to protecting New York members and they are the leaders who are equipped to bring us all into one strong union. Their intelligence and passion for actors have served Screen Actors Guild through its toughest times, and they will guide New York and the country through this exciting and critical period like no one else.”
New York Division President Mike Hodge declared, “USAN has a proven track record of listening to members and providing what they need — whether it’s the hard-won tax incentives that have brought more jobs for NY members, strong contracts to protect our P&H benefits, or the essential member programs actors count on.
“What New York performers need more than anything is for SAG and AFTRA to become one powerful national union — and they can trust USAN to achieve it. Our work over the last two years has brought merger to the verge of success, and we are ready to deliver a plan in January. USAN will get the job done.”
Celebrated comedian/actor and first-time board candidate Lewis Black said, “I’m running with USAN for a simple reason: they are committed to uniting SAG and AFTRA and I want to help them make it happen.”
USAN brings a decade of proven leadership to SAG governance. Along with Hollywood sister organization Unite for Strength, they are credited with restoring productive relationships between the Guild and fellow entertainment labor unions. Most notably they repaired the historic partnership between SAG and AFTRA, paving the way for a collaborative effort, now underway, to develop a formal merger plan for presentation to the unions’ national boards in January, 2012.
USAN leaders participated in the nationwide Presidents’ Forum for One Union Listening Tour, gathering crucial input from SAG and AFTRA members in New York and across the country. USAN is committed to protecting all categories of performers, and this member input will form the foundation of a combined successor union.
Recent achievements under USAN include:
- Unanimous board approval to create the SAG Merger Task Force, adopt a successor union mission statement, and begin formal merger talks with AFTRA.
- NY State and City film production tax credits – thousands of additional NY jobs.
- A new TV/Theatrical Contract, approved by 94% of members, that provided the largest dollar-value increase in the history of the SAG P&H plans.
- NY State COBRA extension bill – so members can keep Guild health insurance.
- New Guild financial and operations plans, including an online Production Center that has signed over 1000 new media projects this year alone.
- Corporate/Educational & Non-Broadcast Contract ratified by 95%, which will create more work for our members.
- Increased member communications including the New York Actor and SAGazine.
- Valuable member programs such as: MOVE/MORE, “Business of the Biz”, and Casting Seminars.
Follow USAN on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/USANforOneUnion) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/groups/25157060924?ap=1)
About USAN
USAN is dedicated to bringing everyone who works in front of a camera or microphone into one powerful union. USAN representatives work in every area of the entertainment and media industries, and are committed to securing the strongest wages and working conditions for professional performers in all media. USAN is devoted to building unity within the Screen Actors Guild and among all entertainment unions by honoring the fundamental labor principle “We are union, We are one!”
**Titles above are used for identification purposes only and do not imply any official position or endorsement of Screen Actors Guild.**
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