The Time Has Come for the AMPTP to Pay the Piper

After Receiving Huge Tax Breaks in NY, the AMPTP Failed to Create More Union Jobs for Background Artists - the Screen Actors Guild's Majority Membership - opting instead to Decimate the Number of Union Background Jobs in Production Contracts, Leaving only 12 Union Background Jobs on Shows like #OITNB

Over a period of Three (3) Years, the beloved television show ‘Orange is the New Black’ #OITNB 🍊 was generously provided more than Thirty-Two ($32) #MILLION DOLLARS in New York Tax Credits.

The express purpose of such OUTSIZE #TAXCREDITS for Film & Television Producers who make their Shows 📺 & Movies 🎥 in New York is to generate #JOBS and to stimulate growth in New York’s booming film & television industry.

One of those two goals has been accomplished in stellar fashion: For over the last several years, there has indeed been more film & television production work in New York than ever before. So BRAVO to NY State & NY City for a job well done on that.

Now one might think that more production work means more jobs. And it does. But not the kinds of Jobs New York had in mind.

You see, New York City is a #UNION town. We like Unions. We support Unions. And we expected the Film & Television Producers to whom we have collectively given more than $1.2 BILLION DOLLARS in NY TAX CREDITS, would respect our #Union Members and increase #JOBS for them.

But instead, Hollywood Film & Television Producers took our generous NY TAX BREAKS and turned around and BUSTED THOUSANDS OF UNION JOBS.

Yup. You heard right. Rather than creating more SAG-AFTRA UNION JOBS for the Actors Union’s Rank & File Background Artists, these Rich Hollywood Producers - who are always so well represented by the POWERFUL Alliance of Producers (AMPTP) - grabbed NY’s Generous Tax Breaks and proceeded to DECIMATE #UNION #JOBS for the SAG-AFTRA Majority Membership: Background Artists.

Ungrateful for the OUTSIZE TAX BREAKS we have so generously given to them and greedy for even more profit, the Producers Alliance used its mighty leverage to whittle down the Number of #Union Background Roles on all Productions while simultaneously refusing to give #Union Background Artists an actual Raise.

So, for example, on a show like the beloved #OITNB 🍊, Producers CRUSHED Union Background Roles, leaving only TWELVE UNION BACKGROUND JOBS on the table where television production contracts used to require nearly ten times that number of #UNION #JOBS.

Now we all know that Film & Television Producers - who for years now have been enjoying the luxuries granted to them through NY’s social welfare program designed for Rich Hollywood Producers (a.k.a. Made in NY TAX BREAKS) - can threaten to pull a Jeff Bezos and whine about how they can pull up stakes and go to Canada or Georgia to make their television shows & movies.

But, as the artists who work in the Film & Television industry - members of the AFL-CIO Affiliated Union known as the Screen Actors Guild - have little in common with the Amazon Non-Union work culture, that would be a hollow bluff.

For the AMPTP knows full well that most of the stars who make their shows & movies profitable will not follow them to Canada or Georgia. Most of the Stars are very happy enjoying all the luxuries of NYC. Their children attend the best private schools in the world. They dine in the finest restaurants in the world. They take a cab across town to Broadway to see the greatest live theatre in the world. Most of their stars are NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

So. All of this is to say, that it is high time for Film & Television Producers to repay those OUTSIZE NY TAX BREAKS and RESTORE UNION BACKGROUND JOBS and to grant Union Background Artists a REAL RAISE.

#sagaftracontract2020 #fairwage #restoreunionbgjobs #saghealthbuyin#weareoneunion #unitedwestand #unionstrong