479 NEWS
Frank Hatcher Retires as General Secretary-Treasurer
In the June 2021 General Membership meeting Brother Frank Hatcher announced his official resignation from Local 479 as General Secretary-Treasurer.
As a former officer in the banking industry, Frank was an advocate for the implementation of financial best practices in our local and help set a vision for our future.
In recognition of Brother Hatcher’s more than 6 years of service to our local President Ray Brown awarded him with a plaque.
In an email to the membership President Brown noted the instrumental role Frank played in managing the growth of this local during his tenure, as membership grew from several hundred to more than 5,500.
“His guidance and leadership will be greatly missed and the Executive Board extends our sincere thanks to both Brother Hatcher and his family.” – Ray Brown
The D Word
Adulthood is hectic, filled with deadlines and commitments. Those of us who work in the television and motion picture industry spend long hours in ever-changing locations and conditions, dividing our time between completing our current project and getting hired for the next one. The last thing we think about in the midst of this non-stop activity is ”What will happen to my family if I DIED today?” (more…)
Local 479 Welcomes Comptroller Jimmy Butts
This month Local 479 welcomes its new financial comptroller, Jimmy Butts. As our Secretary/Treasurer position begins its transition from full-time to “as needed” (in effect part-time), Jimmy will assume management of the Local’s day-to-day financial obligations, serving as its formal accountant. He will help to manage the Local’s investment accounts, oversee compliance with all federal and state entities, and perform the Local’s tax and Department of (more…)
How the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Impacts Members of IATSE
Last month marked the deadline for Federal and State tax returns for tax year 2017 and like many Americans it’s likely that after you submitted your returns (or filed for an extension) you immediately stopped thinking about taxes until next year. We’re publishing this article to remind our members that Congress recently passed a pro-growth tax plan referred to as The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Public Law 115-97), which was signed into law on December 22, 2017.
This new tax plan will affect your earnings from January of this year (2018) onward, and there are some very good reasons for some in the film industry to begin planning now in anticipation of (more…)
Local 479 is NOT your employer
New members of IATSE Local 479 need to understand that, while the union provides many services to you, it is not your employer. To be clear: the union is not your employer, the union is not your employer, and the union is not your employer.
The reason that this concept is worth repeating is that a failure to understand it may have a negative effect on your personal business, from your ability to draw unemployment to a timely closing on the purchase of a new home.
As has been explained in the article Lending Solutions for Members Seeking a Mortgage, Secretary / Treasurer Frank Hatcher receives frequent requests from mortgage companies for a Verification of Employment letter for members of our local who have informed these mortgage companies that Local 479 is their employer.
(Local 479 is not your employer)
Since the Local does not employ its members the Secretary/Treasurer will be unable to legally provide verification of any employment information a lender may be seeking. The information that Local 479 cannot provide includes a history of employment or a member’s start date with (more…)
How Does the New Tax Reform Law Affect You?
Earlier this month the President signed a $1.5 trillion tax cut known as H.R. 1 into law and financial advisors have been scrambling to provide their customers with detailed information on the tax implications associated with this new piece of legislation. With the exception of some changes to medical expense deductions your 2017 taxes will be unaffected by this new law, but beginning on January 1, 2018, all of your business will fall under these new rules. Please consult with a tax expert to understand how your taxes may (more…)
Lending Solutions for Members Seeking a Mortgage
People who work in film and television have traditionally faced great difficulty in qualifying for mortgages because traditional lenders do not understand the unique income structure of the entertainment industry. This article explains some misconceptions by our members, contributing factors as to why most traditional lenders are reluctant to issue loans to film/television technicians, and provides (more…)
479 Members Vote to Reduce Dues
This past Sunday members attending our General Membership meeting voted to once again implement several rebate programs to effectively reduce our members’ working dues from 3% to 2%, quite possibly the lowest working dues available for locals working under the same collective bargaining agreement as 479. Our Secretary / Treasurer Frank Hatcher sat down on Wednesday to explain how these dues-reducing programs work. (more…)