479 NEWS
Pride 2023: Stay for the Credits!
The 2023 Atlanta PRIDE Festival was a terrific success for IATSE Local 479’s Pride Committee, raising more than $11,000 for Chris 180, one of the Southeast’s premiere mental health, child welfare and family service organizations. Be sure to check out the photos from this year’s “Stay for the Credits” event (click here).
2023 IA Charity Golf Tournament Raises $23K+
The 11th Annual IATSE Charity Golf Tournament returned to the greens this past Saturday, April 29th, at the Flat Creek Country Club in Peachtree City. 30 teams from around Atlanta’s production community enjoyed a beautiful day of golf, raising more than $23,000 for the charity Nicholas House.
Click here to view photos from the 2023 Tournament
Respect for Marriage Act to be Signed Into Law
Yesterday the House of Representatives approved legislation that provides federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages, sending the The Respect for Marriage Act to be signed into law by President Biden. This legislation saw bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate (where it was first passed), marking a shift in Americans’ attitudes toward gay marriage and ensuring that same-sex marriages will not be affected by future interpretations by the Supreme Court.
The International’s Pride Committee released a statement yesterday, saying “This bipartisan legislation ensures that loving couples, no matter their race or gender makeup, will continue to have the right to marry.” – Click here to read the full article about the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act on IATSE’s website.
Georgia Film Industry Advocate Speaker David Ralston Passes
Today we are saddened to report the passing of Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, David Ralston, long an advocate of the Georgia film industry.
For more than 12 years Speaker Ralston has been a stalwart supporter of Georgia’s film industry and the jobs that it has provided our members. He helped shape, strengthen, and protect Georgia’s film tax incentive.
“I am excited by the success of this industry. As long as I sit in that office, there will be no bigger fan of that tax credit and this industry than I am.”
House Speaker David Ralston, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 15 March 2017
Please join us in offering our most sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
Georgia AFL-CIO Candidate List for 2022 Mid-Terms
IATSE Local 479’s Labor Delegate to the AFL-CIO, Paige Jarvis, reports that the Georgia AFL-CIO has released a list of pro-worker candidates they are endorsing for the 2022 Mid-term elections. Additionally, the Georgia AFL-CIO is offering opportunities to volunteer for canvassing and working virtual phone banks. Please see the attached PDFs for more information.
Download: Georgia AFL-CIO Labor 2022 Endorsed Candidates (PDF)
Download: Georgia AFL-CIO Volunteer Opportunities (PDF)
Make a Plan to Vote!
Use the IATSE Voter Toolkit to find all the information you need to cast your ballot on (or before) Election Day. The toolkit includes links to find important election dates and deadlines, check your voter registration status, register to vote, learn absentee ballot/vote-by-mail rules, track your ballot, find your polling place, and more. Voters who make a plan and determine when and how they’re going to vote, have a significantly higher likelihood of doing so. Make a plan to vote and ensure your voice is heard!
Georgia Productions Set New Record in 2022 Fiscal Year
The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, reported that productions spent $4.4 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2022. The press release is provided below.
ATLANTA – August 1, 2022 – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced a chart-topping year for the film and television industry as productions spent $4.4 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2022 – a new industry record. The Georgia Film Office, a strategic office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), reported that the State of Georgia hosted 412 productions, represented by 32 feature films, 36 independent films, 269 television and episodic productions, 42 commercials, and 33 music videos between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.
Teamsters and IATSE Reaffirm ‘Mutual Aid and Assistance Pact’
WASHINGTON — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees have reaffirmed the ‘Mutual Aid and Assistance Pact,’ an agreement established for both unions to work together to achieve shared goals and initiatives.
The pact outlines how the unions will address organizing efforts, deal with jurisdictional issues and fight in conjunction to meet the goals of economic justice for their respective memberships.
The Teamsters and IATSE last affirmed this pact in 2010. Since then, the two unions have worked alongside one another to navigate the dynamic nature of the motion picture industry, the safety protocols for the COVID-19 pandemic and solidarity in contract campaigns. In Hollywood, both unions participate in the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans. (more…)
2022 Atlanta IATSE Charity Golf Tournament Raises More Than $24,000
Following a 2-year pandemic hiatus, the annual IATSE Charity Golf Tournament returned to the greens this past Saturday, April 30th, at the Flat Creek Country Club in Peachtree City. 27 teams from around Atlanta’s production community faced off over the course of 5 hours under warm April skies, raising more than $24,000 for the charity Meals on Wheels Atlanta.
Click here to view photos from the 2022 Tournament
Film Industry References Removed from HB 1437
THANK YOU.
The current threat to Georgia’s film tax credit is over.
Your activism, in coordination with our industry partners and the support of our friends in the Georgia Legislature, helped eliminate recent unwanted amendments to HB 1437.
Yesterday (Wednesday), the bill was sent back to the Senate Rules Committee.
Later in the day I met directly with the Governor, key Senate leadership, and our industry colleagues to reaffirm the widespread support for the State’s motion picture industry.
Today (Thursday) all references to the film industry tax credit were stripped from HB 1437, and the bill was passed out of the committee. It is expected to be placed on the Senate calendar for tomorrow (Friday).
At this time IATSE Local 479 has no further concerns with HB 1437.
We encourage you to reach out to your legislators and thank them for their continuing support of Georgia’s motion picture industry.
You can identify your legislators by visiting https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/.
In Solidarity,
Michael Akins
Local 479 Business Agent
HB 1437: Your Activism is Working
Your activism is working with HB 1437. More progress will be made. Read more to see the next steps we need to take.
Thank you for your emails and phone calls to members of the Georgia Senate last night and this morning. Your activism is working; namely, HB 1437 with the offensive film tax credit language was removed from today’s vote calendar and sent back to the General Calendar, so the bill can be cleaned up by removing the tax credit cap and the transferability language.
HB 1437 has to go through some legislative steps and we have another chance to impact on that process, so please look at the attached link to the list of Senators with email addresses and phone numbers and send them another message to first thank them for recommitting HB 1437 and then to ask for the removal of PART III, Section 3-1 in the current bill which contains the negative film tax credit language (caps and transferability).
You have a chance to repeat today’s success with another display of how important it is for the Legislature not to disturb current film tax credit law which has proven to be so helpful to job creation in our industry.
Please click the link below to access the contact list for the Senators.
Click here to download list of Senators
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