Spider-Man and the ongoing legal battles surrounding the production continue to land front page in the paper.

SDC has two active arbitrations underway against the producers of Spider-Man.  The first case is focused on securing payment for Julie Taymor for her work as director as well as ensuring that she is compensated for the ongoing use of her property.  The second case is focused on securing bonds required for Philip William McKinley and Chase Brock who followed Ms. Taymor and Daniel Ezralow as Director and Choreographer.  It can be confusing as there are a number of other lawsuits in play.  Ms. Taymor has filed for protection of and compensation for other contributions she has made to the production, most notably as co-author.  The producers have countersued. SDC has no role in these other matters.  We are strictly focused on the work that we protect for all Members of SDC.

As a result of our efforts to enforce the SDC/League Agreement, the producers have adopted an extremely aggressive approach.  In addition to their outright refusal to pay Ms. Taymor for her work and their refusal to pay the necessary bonds for the current director and choreographer, they have now filed a federal action suing the Union for violation of anti-trust laws.  What this means in layman’s terms is that they are challenging our right to represent you.  They are claiming that you are independent contractors and not employees, and therefore do not have the right to collectively bargain.

Their claim is without merit.  Every Federal Court, Labor Board and State Employment Agency that has been asked to rule on this question over the past 40 years has consistently ruled that directors and choreographers are employees, and therefore have the right to representation by a Union.

Opposing the claims made against us will take significant resources — both human and financial.  The road will be long, arduous and expensive.  Your Executive Board and Union Counsel will guide us through these waters. In the end, we believe this assault will result with the same ruling as in the past.  SDC is your Union.

–Karen Azenberg

IN THIS VOLUME

2011 Fichandler Award Wrap-up

The “Mr. Abbott” Awards Wrap-up in Pictures

Update on Contract Negotiations

Support Creative America

Talking Diversity with Sharon Jensen

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Living with Change

By Renee Lasher

As I approach my last day with SDC before leaving for a wonderful new opportunity, I’ve been thinking about change.  Here at SDC, the average tenure of the current staff is about 9 years.  That’s a relatively long time in the working world, and it says something about SDC as an organization, and the staff’s commitment to the membership and the industry.  I have been with SDC since March of 2000, and though the mission and the commitment have remained constant, much has changed.  Twelve years ago, SDC was SSDC, our color was blue, our office was smaller, Ted Pappas was President of the Executive Board, Facebook hadn’t been invented, stream and tweet had entirely different meanings and blog and podcast weren’t part of the lexicon.

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