Union Meeting: PRO Act and EDI: Prefer woman of color member to join with me as principal in next meeting

 Yes, sorry - meant to say - we have a strong EDI committee but also a very diverse executive board


From Alicia Cook AGMA to Everyone: (1:50 PM)


Could the principals intro union then the speaker? To connect the relationship.
We don't want the optics of this to become the story.


From Lisa Portes SDC (she/her/ella) to Everyone: (1:52 PM)


Supporting Alicia’s suggestion
100% Alicia


From Alicia Cook AGMA to Everyone: (1:59 PM)


Black History Month too is Feb
Union

Information about the bipartisan COVID-19 relief package and the AEMI's shared COVID-19-related priorities

 Hi everyone,

As you likely saw, yesterday a bipartisan group of senators and representatives released a COVID-19 relief package that consists of two bills. One bill addresses PPP, unemployment insurance, and other relief for students, families, workers, and businesses. Another bill provides funding for state and local governments and liability waivers for businesses. It is unclear exactly how this package is viewed right now by Democratic and Republican leadership in the House and Senate, though there are clear signs that the next phase of COVID-19 relief legislation will center around this group's proposal. 

We will aim to keep you updated as negotiations over this proposal and the next steps for COVID-19 relief legislation progress.  As a starting point, we want you to know how the bipartisan proposal addresses the shared priorities of the AEMI. 

This Google Doc briefly summarizes which AEMI priorities are included in the bipartisan COVID-19 relief proposal: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fUnjywEAxQfXxPmM5J_2ycOHO7VJShmMgZD4jj85-oM/edit?usp=sharing

Section-by-section summaries of the two bills are available here: 

"Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020": https://www.manchin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Bipartisan%20COVID-19%20Emergency%20Relief%20Act%20of%202020%20FINAL.pdf?cb

"Bipartisan State and Local and Small Business Protection Act of 2020": https://www.manchin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Bipartisan%20State%20and%20Local%20Support%20and%20Small%20Business%20Protection%20Act%20of%202020.pdf?cb

Please don't hesitate to directly email me with any questions.

Best,

Michael

Michael Wasser

Assistant to the President/Legislative Director

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO

Reminder AEMI Racial Justice Policy Agenda planning call, tomorrow, Wed. Dec 16th, 1 pm ET

From: Michael Wasser  To:Jennifer Dorning Cc:Katie Barrows Tue, Dec 15 at 5:19 PM

Hi everyone, 

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 16th at 1 pm et for our next AEMI Racial Justice Policy Agenda planning call. We will use this call to discuss a potential distribution and media strategy for the document, which is 

attached for your convenience. 

An agenda and call-in information is below.  

Best,

Michael

Agenda

Welcome/Introductions Review goals for EDI policy agenda Proposed distribution and media plan

Discussion

Next steps

Conclude

Call-in Info

DPE AFL-CIO is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: AEMI Racial Justice Policy Agenda

Time: Dec 16, 2020 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 819 8797 8549

Passcode: 548056

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,81987978549#,,,,,,0#,,548056# US (Washington D.C)

+13126266799,,81987978549#,,,,,,0#,,548056# US (Chicago)

##

Michael Wasser

Assistant to the President/Legislative Director

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO

DPE letter for the record of Dec 15th Senate Commerce hearing re: COVID-19's impact on live event entertainment industry

 Hi everyone,

The Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection is holding a hearing tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec 15th at 10 am ET titled, 

"Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on the Live Event Entertainment Industry."  

A livestream of the hearing is available here: 

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2020/12/examining-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-the-live-event-entertainment-industry

Today, ahead of the hearing, DPE sent the attached letter for the record to Chairman Jerry Moran and Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal. Our letter reiterates our urgent ask that Congress provide continued economic support for creative professionals impacted by COVID-19. We also sent our Nov. 2020 document:

"Economic Support Needed for Creative Professionals Impacted by COVID-19," 

so that our specific policy asks are also included in the record. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,

Michael

Michael Wasser

Assistant to the President/Legislative Director

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO

AEA Courtesy Forward: Soaring Unemployment Numbers Especially for Arts Industry and Benefits lack

 

Soaring Unemployment Numbers Highlight Need for Help for Arts Industry Workers   Millions of Unemployed Americans Not Receiving Their Full Unemployment Benefits  New York – Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, released the following statement following the new unemployment report, which found that over 850,000 Americans have newly applied for unemployment in the last week, the highest it has been since September, and a jump of over 100,000 from the week prior.  The new report comes following a U.S. Government Accountability Office study found that millions of unemployed Americans are not receiving the benefits to which they are entitled under the pandemic unemployment assistance program (PUA) that is used by many in the arts and entertainment industry. According to the study, many states have been paying PUA claims at the minimum benefit level instead of based on past earnings.  “What’s tragic is not just the raw numbers, but more than four months after supplemental federal unemployment benefits expired, the Senate still hasn’t acted,” said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association. “As the virus continues to rage out of control, the arts and entertainment industry remains shut down and the workers are devastated. Congress must act.”  The arts and entertainment industries are important economic drivers. The average nonprofit arts attendee spends another $31.41 per person, per show beyond the cost of admission, according to Americans for the Arts. That includes spending at restaurants, parking and even the babysitter. Nationally, this audience spending supports 2.3 million jobs, provides $46.6 billion in household income and generates $15.7 billion in total government revenue.  To ensure the survival of union members who cannot safely work during the pandemic, Equity has been fighting for the passage of the HEROES Act since May, which passed the House and has yet to pass the Senate. The current version of the bill includes important provisions including:  The resumption of pandemic unemployment insurance.  $10 billion in emergency arts funding that would be made available via the “Save Our Stages” Act that also includes new, critical worker protections.    An additional $135 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.  New provisions to ensure that workers who earn a mix of traditional (W-2) and independent (e.g. 1099) employment income can fully access the unemployment assistance provided in the CARES Act. ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks   Equity contact: Brandon Lorenz

Recommending personnel for Biden administration

Attached is the spreadsheet 

your union should use to identify recommended personnel for the Biden administration. You can send your completed spreadsheet to me for submission to the Biden transition team. If your union prefers to directly send its recommendations to the transition team, please let me know. Folks should aim to have their recommendations ready for the transition team by this Friday at the latest.

In addition, anyone your union is recommending for a position within the incoming administration should submit their resume via the transition job portal: https://buildbackbetter.gov/join-us/.

Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Best, Michael Wasser, Assistant to the President/Legislative Director

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO 815 16th Street, NW 6th Floor Washington, DC 20006

www.dpeaflcio.org Twitter: @dpeaflcio Facebook: Facebook.com/dpeaflcio

Momenti Productions "AS YOU LIKE IT" Friday Dec. 11 at 7pm

Live via YouTube on Friday Dec 11th at 7PM.

Show link:

https://youtu.be/u7L51j0gl4c

Emma Schwartz, director, veteran of Royal Shakespeare Company