USING MK TO BECOME SAG "TAFT- HARTLEY"

Hey Guys,

Many of you have been inquiring about using Master Killers to upgrade your status to SAG. Since our production may become SAG signatory I understand the desire to go union. I cannot promise anything at this point; only that we will speak with our SAG representative regarding the matter. But please keep in mind that as far as becoming signatory or exactly what type of agreement we will be listed under, these things have not been determined. We will explore all options and make a decision based on the information presented. This may or may not entail becoming "Signatory" status. Below is some information I gathered which explains more about Taft-Hartley.

Taft-Hartley Labor Act, 1947, passed by the U.S. Congress, officially known as the Labor-Management Relations Act. Sponsored by Senator Robert Alphonso Taft and Representative Fred Allan Hartley, the act qualified or amended much of the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act of 1935, the federal law regulating labor relations of enterprises engaged in interstate commerce, and it nullified parts of the Federal Anti-Injunction (Norris-LaGuardia) Act of 1932. The act established control of labor disputes on a new basis by enlarging the National Labor Relations Board and providing that the union or the employer must, before terminating a collective-bargaining agreement, serve notice on the other party and on a government mediation service.

What does one do to become a SAG actor? First of all, it is important to be a great auditioner. Employers who are signed to a union contract are called "Signatories," and every Signatory is required to give preference in hiring to qualified union performers. However, if no union member is found that fits the part, production companies may audition and hire a non-union member, therefore giving them "Taft-Hartley" status. This means that the performer has 30 days to work under a union contract, enjoying all the benefits before having to join the union. After 30 days, if a performer intends to perform more SAG work, membership is mandatory.