USAN ON EDUCATING AND
EMPOWERING OUR MEMBERS
WE’RE EMPOWERING SAG-AFTRA MEMBERS
Union means joining together to improve life for the individual through collective power. To fully take advantage of that power, each member needs to have a voice and be encouraged to use it. It is vital that we educate our members about their rights while developing opportunities to hone skills and network. USAN, Unite for Strength, and member leaders from around the country have created many innovative avenues of connection.
In 2015 SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard established the PTEOE, President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement. This is a task force designed to mobilize the membership, with visits to locals around the country to hear from members first hand, and provide programming to further educate about how your union works for you, address needed improvements, and provide training and networking resources. During the pandemic, President Gabrielle Carteris and SAG-AFTRA produced a weekly webinar which has connected us as fellow members during this difficult time. These programs delve into COVID and Safety Protocols, contracts, personal care, industry skills, and Diversity/Equity/Inclusion topics. This programming can be found on SAG-AFTRA TV The SAG-AFTRA Podcast (Apple, Google) also provides a wealth of information.
A non-official livestream initiative, You Are The Union, was launched during the pandemic by Unite for Strength team members Amir Talai and Jen Levin to examine topics with members, with Q & A for listeners. Those video archives can be accessed by scrolling down from our candidates on our Unite for Strength website https://www.uniteforstrength.com/
We turned MOVE (Members Organizing Volunteer Efforts) into a non-partisan member-driven source of informative panels and a volunteer force for internal activism as well as a collaborative connection to labor and community partners.
One of the initiatives of MOVE panels has been to engender additional events on the topic by committees and locals. The livestream Just Say ¡Si!: The Latino Media Explosion with a three city event (LA, NY, Miami) inspired other events across the country, just as Background to the Foreground kicked off the tremendously successful series of Background Committee events.
MOVE has several chapters around the country and the videos can also be accessed by any member through the video archives. MOVE Video Archives
When we recognized a need to reach our newer, younger members, Next Gen Performers grew from MOVE. A vibrant community has sprung from NGP activities and social interaction.
Building our future is vital. MORE, Member Outreach Relations and Education, through orientations and seminars, follows the principle that an informed membership is an empowered membership. MORE also orchestrates outreach to students and professionals who have not yet joined the union, to acquaint them with the benefits of SAG-AFTRA. In addition, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a fount of knowledge with classes, panels and workshops of all kinds.
Members can receive thousands of dollars worth of classes free through their union membership.
Check it out!
We believe communication is key, for together we can grow and thrive.
