Tag Archives: iatse

Action: Top Priorities for Entertainment Workers in Subsequent COVID-19 Legislation

Letter writing campaign, contact your representatives now. Personalize your letter for better effect. The following goals are from the IATSE C.A.R.E.S. announcement.

Congress has begun to pursue additional federal legislation in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The entertainment industry will continue to be disproportionately impacted by this health crisis and we need to ensure that that subsequent COVID-19 legislation puts workers first. We must act now and urge our representatives to include the following priorities in any subsequent legislation:

· Make sure workers in all states have access to COVID-19 relief by demanding that states ramp up and improve their unemployment claim processing.

· Preserve workers’ healthcare and ensure that no-one loses their benefits by passing a 100 percent COBRA premium subsidy to keep families insured on their job-based healthcare plan and extend eligibility to 36 months.

· Extend the “CARES” Act’s unemployment insurance provisions for as long as the health crisis persists.

· Allow all nonprofits fair access to the government economic support in the Paycheck Protection Program – including labor unions, the staffs of which are providing vital assistance to members around the clock and face the same hardships that small businesses face.

· Protect the healthy pension plans and earned pension checks of entertainment workers by allowing multiemployer plans to implement policies that safeguarded pensions after the Great Recession, such as freezing zone status, smoothing investment losses, and doing no harm to healthy pension plans.

· Update the Qualified Performing Artist tax deduction, allowing creative professionals to keep more of our hard-earned money by deducting necessary business expenses from their taxes, now due in July.

· Provide direct economic support for organizations in the arts, entertainment, and media industries with appropriate workforce restoration requirements to get people back to work when it is safe to do so.

· And finally, we must protect entertainment workers still performing essential work in news media and converting facilities into temporary field hospitals by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard.

Start writing your letter.

Education! IATSE and Lynda.com

From the Education Committee via Vice President Drga:

Brothers and Sisters,

IATSE has contracted with Lynda.com to provide a significant discount for online training courses. The regular price for the Premium membership is $375 per year, but we will pay only $20. This discount is only available to IATSE members in good standing.

Please note that the deadline for enrollment through Local 205 is August 10th.

If you have any questions, please  contact me.

In Solidarity,  
Todd Drga
IATSE Local 205 Vice President

Further instructions and info sheets were provided via an announce email to the membership. View the International’s post about it too.

Build Craft, Leadership, and Business Skills in a Cost Effective and Flexible Learning Environment on lynda.com

What is lynda.com?

A leading on-line educator with an extensive library targeting the latest software, creative, and business skills via high-quality instructional videos taught by recognized experts and working professionals.

What do we get?

The IATSE has contracted for all interested IATSE members to have a “Premium” membership.

An Individual annual membership normally costs as much as $375 per year, but IATSE members and local leaders will be able to purchase individual premium annual memberships that will run from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016, for only $20 each.

Unlimited access from any desktop or mobile device 24/7

Over 2,500 courses on a wide variety of technologies and disciplines, across all skill levels, with new courses added every week.

Up-to-date content

What type of courses are available?

There are thousands of courses in categories such as:

CRAFT

Audio and Music
CAD
Design
Photography
Video
3D and Animation

LEADERSHIP

Negotiation
Time Management
Conflict Resolution
Communication
Business Writing

SOFTWARE

Microsoft: Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, Word
Google: Gmail, Calendar, Docs
Adobe: Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator

How do I sign up?

Enrollment is through Local 205. You need to do both of the following:

Email the education address to provide the email address you wish to use for your lynda.com registration and your date of birth. This information is required for registration.

Mail a check for $20 to Treasurer Kelso with “Lynda training” on the memo line. If you are not in good standing, you must pay all outstanding financial obligations (with a separate check) before you can enroll.

Mail your check(s) to Treasurer Kelso at:

PO Box 142
Austin TX 78767

The deadline for receiving your enrollment request is August 10th. This will allow the enrollments to be processed before the subscription begins on September 1st .

After August 10th, Local 205 will submit the enrollment information and payment to the International.

Once your information is processed by the International, you will be contacted via email directly by lynda.com to set up your account.

If you have any questions about this enrollment process, please email or call VP Drga at 512-589-8402.

The following documents were provided by Local 205 regarding info & sign up process.