THE Union of entertainment coalition launched “Keep California rolling», A campaign directed by work to ensure that jobs remain key priority in the expansion offered in the film and television tax credit program in California.
The launch of the campaign follows the governor Gavin Newsom’s recent proposal To double the state incentive program of $ 330 million to $ 750 million per year, a critical decision to limit the theft of cinematographic and televised production in California.
The executive director of DGA Western and president of the entertainment coalition, Rebecca Rhine, directs a series of calls for action. 100 workers from unions and guilds for EUC members – including the American musicians federation, California Iatse Council, Directors Guild of America, Liuna! Local section 724, SAG -AFTRA, Local Teamsters 399 and Writers Guild of America West – will go to Sacramento next month to defend a job -based incentive program that recovers production in California and strengthens local and state economies.
Speak with Variety, The Rhine underlined the urgency of the situation calling it “criticism”. She said: “We have a historic industry in California, which is really in danger. Sometimes we forget that the future of film and television production in California is not a guarantee. “She added:” Think of the automotive and aerospace industry, these were deeply rooted in the communities and that did not stop erosion and, ultimately, the departure of these industries. ”
Speaking with state legislators, Rhine said education was essential. “This explains why it is different from what they can perceive. The second is to make them understand who these jobs are. It’s not Hollywood stars that earn millions of dollars. They are not well -paid people in our industry – they take advantage of it because they also live here, and they also want to work at home, but jobs that are credited in this bill are construction teams, workers, 13 inhabitants of AI, drivers, location managers, director teams and extras. »»
The Rhine highlighted the 40% drop in production in the state, and the loss of jobs is a reason to go up the alarm before it is too late. “What we cannot have is that this workforce has dug and destroy if we want this industry to prosper in California.”
By pleading for the program, the objective of the EUC is to ensure that jobs are the center of everything that has grown in the expansion of the program.
The Rhine hopes to educate the legislators on the secondary implications of what this loss of work and the impact it has on small businesses which are auxiliary to this industry: caterers, dry cleaners, event planners and beyond. She said: “This is our industry that stimulates tourism to this state that reports billions of dollars, but at the base, it is a question of how we recognize and protect an industry that is an integral part of the state economy.”
In addition to educating and providing resources, Rhine said that the campaign would work to underline what must be done to encourage “more competitive and more competitive structural changes, administrative changes. We are open to these conversations, and we will have them, but in the end, everything we accept to produce work for real human beings. »»
She noted: “It is essential that the expansion of the film and televised tax credit program prioritates workers rather than the benefits of companies. The EUC fully supports the governor’s proposal, marking the most important expansion of the program for decades, but we must ensure that he is having his promise: hold the production and jobs he creates, here even in California, where workers and their families can prosper in their own communities. »»
THE Campaign also launched its website Provide resources and mobilize industry workers in the fight for jobs. Resources for the impact report of the California Film & Television Jobs program prepared by the EUC are also available.
Said Rhine: “When our prosperous industry adds to flourishing California.” She added that the unions all gathered in an unprecedented manner. We have added additional unions recently to the EUC, and everyone is on the same wavelength. This is the first. It’s time, and we want our members to know that this is what their unions represent. »»