Seattle AFTRA Members Attend WA Labor Convention

Posted August 20, 2010

REPORT FROM WSLC 2010 CONVENTION

 

By David Natale

 

On August 9-11, AFTRA Seattle delegates Laura Kenny, Steve Kruger and David Natale, along with Northwest Regional Executive Director Brad Anderson attended the 2010 Washington State Labor Council Convention in Tacoma.

The WSLC is a 430,000-member strong organization that represents hundreds of locals in a plethora of trades throughout the state. Affiliated with the AFL-CIO, this organization provides support, solidarity and education for working families as well as acting as the political arm for labor in the state of Washington.

The theme of this year’s convention was: “Focus on Jobs.”

As you might expect, after the past year, labor has many challenges to contend with. The gains made in healthcare are being attacked. Unemployment in the trades is very high (No, it’s not just us). Washington jobs are under the gun. Worker injuries and deaths are at unprecedented highs. And in this election cycle many of our pro-labor politicians are being challenged.

Washington is the fourth highest labor-density state in the country. That means the WSLC has real influence. Candidates are serious about getting WSLC endorsements. When the Labor Council passes resolutions, they follow up loudly in Olympia and make them stick. 

Though we are one of the smaller locals, AFTRA is known and respected in the Council. These folks have our back! The AFTRA Seattle local has submitted and had passed resolutions, four out of the past five years:

2010 – Support for Washington Film Works
2009 – An agreement that union locals use union labor in recorded productions.
2008 – Appreciation to the Seattle Mariners for hiring union performers in their radio ads.
2006 – Supporting the right to report as essential to preserving our democracy.

This year’s “Support of Washington Film Works” resolution, co-sponsored by SAG Seattle Branch, along with the International Cinematographers Guild (affiliated with IATSE) and IATSE Local #15, was passed unanimously by the convention delegates. Since 2007, WFW has helped generate thousands of union jobs and generated $46 million in revenue for the State of Washington. This resolution gives us some serious leverage for continuing to create even more union performer jobs to our state.

Another notable resolution passed that directly affects AFTRA members in Washington calls for the legislature to take action against the practice of “employee misclassification” and demands stricter enforcement of laws protecting workers illegally hired as independent contractors. Sound familiar? When performers are universally hired as employees, it will help de-fang the influence of Financial-core. We all want the professional standards and rights afforded us as employees

Delegate Laura Kenny also secured a $5,000 pledge from the Miscellaneous Trades section of the WSLC for AFTRA Seattle affiliate Labor Neighbor Radio to continue broadcasting its weekly “News for Working Families” spots on stations throughout the state. To learn more about Labor Neighbor Radio, go to http://laborneighborradio.com/id5.html.

The 2010 convention featured many informative workshops and discussion panels. Delegates, Kenny and Natale attended workshops on: What Happens If You Are Injured on the Job?; How to Shoot Compelling Video (at union events); and Organizing During a Recession.

(AFTRA cannot endorse candidates, I highly recommend you look at the WSLC page and think carefully about how much is at stake this mid-term election. Do the right thing and Vote!  http://www.wslc.org/legis/index.htm.)

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