Writers Guild Workshops Help Vets Tell Their Stories
 |
||||
|
||||
Returning veterans often have a hard time adjusting to civilian life and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) Foundation is helping them find an outlet to tell their stories. Since April 2008, the foundation has held weekend-long writing workshops in which professional writers mentor veterans and active duty military personnel, encouraging them to express themselves in writing.
John Markus, first vice president of the foundation, says the workshops have caught on in the communities where they have been held. They are open to any member of the armed forces who has served in recent conflicts and who has a desire to write. Workshops have been held in Columbus, Ohio, and San Antonio, with more planned.
Markus says the WGAE members, many of whom are major award winners (Markus has won an Emmy) don’t try to tell the vets what to write. Instead they help vets navigate through writing process. Not all of the stories are about war or military life, but vets are encouraged to write about whatever is on their minds. Says Markus:
We specifically did not want to influence content. We reassured vets that they would own their material. If they wanted to try and get it published or find an agent or get studios to read their scripts, we could facilitate that.
AT&T Workers, Flight Attendants and Writers Win Union Victories
More than 300 workers at AT&T Mobility have chosen a voice with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in the past five weeks, providing more proof that workers want the Employee Free Choice Act. If enacted, the bill would give workers the option of choosing whether to join a union through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) process or via majority sign-up or “card-check.” AT&T workers used the majority verification process to join CWA.
Most recently, in Vermont, 81 AT&T Mobility retail store workers voted for CWA Local 1400 through majority sign-up. Since Aug. 21, some 230 workers gained CWA representation at AT&T Mobility in Washington State, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Idaho, and at the online website, truthout.org, which operates in five states and Washington, D.C.
SAG, NATCA and WGAE Elect Top Officers
 |
||||
|
||||
 |
||||
|
||||
 |
||||
|
The Screen Actors (SAG) and National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) elected new leadership teams recently and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) re-elected their top officers.
Actor Ken Howard was elected as SAG’s president in a mail ballot, with results announced yesterday. Amy Aquino was elected secretary-treasurer. Howard and Aquino succeed Alan Rosenberg and Connie Stevens, respectively, and begin their two-year terms immediately.
Howard pledged to strengthen the union’s bargaining power:
“I campaigned on the promise that I’d do everything in my power to strengthen our position at the bargaining table by building a greater unity with [American Federation of Television and Radio Artists] AFTRA and the other entertainment unions, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Despite the sharp differences that those of us active in Guild affairs sometimes have over strategy and tactics, we need to continually remind ourselves that we’re all on the same team, fighting for the same thing—and by pulling together, we’ll only grow stronger.”
NATCA chose Paul Rinaldi, an 18-year veteran air traffic controller from the control tower at Washington Dulles Airport, as president in a runoff election. Rinaldi, who has served as NATCA’s executive vice president since 2006, will take office on Oct. 17 to begin his three-year term. He will succeed Patrick Forrey.
The runoff election was held because no candidate won the required 50 percent-plus one majority in the first balloting, which was announced on July 31. NATCA Executive Vice President Patricia Gilbert won a clear majority and took office Sept. 1.
Rinaldi said he plans to make sure the nation’s air traffic controllers have a voice in the workplace:
Throughout my career, I’ve made it my mission to further the goals of this union and I’m not stopping now. We’ve had a difficult last three years, but we’ve persevered. I look forward to ensuring that our members always have a voice and, just as important, that the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] always listens.
Artists for Employee Free Choice
Yesterday, 47 top performers from Broadway and Hollywood launched Artists for Workers Choice, an exciting new campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act, sharing their support for this crucial working families’ legislation in a new video.
As one of the actors in the video, Jerry Stiller (also known as Seinfeld’s “Frank Costanza”) says the freedom to bargain for a better life is critical to an economy that works for everyone.
I’ve belonged to three unions in my life and every one gave me the freedom to bargain with my co-workers for decent hours, benefits, and safe conditions. If all workers don’t have the freedom to form unions, I don’t see how we can fix our economy.
The Stars Align for Employee Free Choice Act
 |
|
| Esai Morales | |
 |
|
| Amy Brenneman | |
From the big screen to the Broadway stage, a stellar lineup of stars is joining the fight for working families.
Amy Brenneman, Nancy Giles, Esai Morales and Mike Farrell are among 47 performing artists who have taped a new video in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Brenneman, one of the television actors appearing in the video, says the freedom to form a union gives working families the economic security they need:
“People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family. That’s why I support the Employee Free Choice Act. Because each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life.”
Released today, the video and list of performing artists and their bios are available at the new website, Artists for Workers’ Choice (artists4workerschoice.org).
These artists—including Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony award winners and nominees—together with veteran writers and technicians, have created a clear, impassioned explanation of why America’s workers need the Employee Free Choice Act to restore balance in the workplace and have the bargaining power they need to rebuild a strong middle class.
Laughing at the News: Comedy Writers Speak
Jon Stewart or Katie Couric? Jay Leno or Charles Gibson? David Letterman or Brian Williams? A growing number of people are choosing Jon, Jay and David as their sources for news while the anchor class and newsmakers are turning up more often on the late night sets and in the skits.
On Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) will explore this change in the public’s news consuming habits and the
growing synergy between Washington, Wall Street, the media, and the late night comedy/variety programs.
Writers Guild to Honor ‘Doubt’ Writer and Committee to Protect Journalists
 |
||||
|
||||
 |
||||
|
This weekend, the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) will present its highest awards to an international organization to protect the freedom of the press and to a playwright whose latest play became an Academy Award nominated movie.
The 61st Annual Writers Guild Awards will take place today simultaneously in New York City and in Los Angeles. John Oliver, correspondent on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” will host the New York ceremony at the Hudson Theatre.
WGAE, which represents writers in motion pictures, television, cable, new media and broadcast news, will give its Evelyn F. Burkey Award to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The award recognizes contributions that have brought honor and dignity to writers everywhere. CPJ is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.
Says WGAE President Michael Winship:
In a world where freedom of the press is so often suppressed and its practitioners threatened, even killed, the CPJ stands in defense of the lives and liberty of those writers around the planet who so valiantly struggle to bring us the truth.
Past recipients of the Burkey Award include: Walter Bernstein, Martin Scorsese, the Museum of Television & Radio, Vaclav Havel and David Brown.
