Earlier on this website, the Ol’ Dog posted an article referencing AFTRA National Executive Director, Kim Robert’s Hedgpeth’s ‘Apartheid’ pro Merger speech at the recent AFTRA convention in Chicago.
In that piece, I was critical of her suggestion that the logic supporting an “all actors” union was basically akin to the logic which mandated racism. In an email, a friend, who is a Hedgpeth supporter, admonished me, claiming that my criticism was based on comments taken out of context.
Well, you can decide for yourself as the following link will take you to five videos covering Ms. Hedgpeth’s entire speech. The part of her speech with the racism reference is in Video Five. Simply scroll down to the last video and click.
http://www.aftra.com/aftra/2009_08_14hedgpethconvid.html
Here is a transcript of ‘Part Five’ of her video. I have included a few of my responses.
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It is only fitting that our discussions this week about organizing and transforming this union are being hosted by the Chicago local Membership and staff have worked in partnership for the last fifteen years to build this local into the kind of exemplar of the kind of unity among different category of members that AFTRA strives to maintain.
It is fitting that we are being hosted by a local which has worked to make organizing a priority despite the stresses and demands of getting the day to day work. Because the day to day work, negotiating, contract enforcement, advocacy and all those other activities still take time, money and energy, and they cannot be abandoned. And we face the future knowing that in the longer term there are not yet enough people, energy and money to continue the day to day work as we need to do it into the future.
It somehow seems to escape Ms. Hedgpeth that it is not organizing when she and the rest of the AFTRA leadership low-ball’s SAG’s contracts—as was done when AFTRA sold out actors by undercutting SAG’s Basic Cable contract with the likes of Disney and others forfeiting actors residuals and lowering their minimums. For instance, for the same work that would bring you $782 dollars under a SAG contract you could be paid as little as $364 dollars, and get no residuals for reruns the first year. With that kind of “organizing” it won’t be long before only the high profile actors will be able to make a living through acting only.
We also know from what you saw yesterday that AFTRA must push beyond that to do even more. To make organizing a part of every thing we do, and your overwhelming vote to provide the seed money towards that goal, prove that you have the vision to see what must be done.
When she said you, ah, well, she didn’t mean you the member; she was talking to the convention members, who voted to charge an extra fee on your dues bill. You see, it is so much speedier that way than the old cumbersome SAG method we’re members actually vote on whether their dues are raised or fees charged.
But we must also remember that when we leave these rooms there will be AFTRA members out there who haven’t seen what you have seen. And don’t yet understand what you understand, There will be employers who will do every thing possible to obscure your vision and do every thing possible to promote division among our members against there own self interest.
Speaking of vision, there is one thing we haven’t seen and that is the vote tallies of AFTRA’s referendums, or the basic cable contracts under which SAG actors are forced to work. As to promoting division among members Ms. Hedgpeth is an expert at that; she didn’t exactly solidify members when during SAG’s negotiations, AFTRA stepped in an gave employers everything they wanted and were rewarded for their back-stabbing compliancy with the majority of the shows that formerly went to SAG. This, not only forced non-AFTRA SAG actors to join AFTRA if they wanted to work these shows, but, of course, it put money in AFTRA's coffers.
Some members will hear about the size of the task and the volume of the work ahead and consider it too much to take on, or too ambitious to achieve. Some may even suggest that AFTRA is too diverse. And because of that diversity it tries to do too much. And that things would be a lot easier if AFTRA members were separated to place actors only among actors, broadcasters among broadcasters, and recording artist separated off somewhere with only recording artist.
Some might say that each of AFTRA’s categories might be better off if they were ONLY AMONG THEIR OWN KIND! And only had to focus on the things they know without worrying about anyone else’s issue. And that, that would solve all of our problems.
Well, actually that might sound like a rather reasonable and logical approach to take, but when you listen very careful to that logic, it has a VERY FIMILIAR RING.
It’s the familiar ring of the deceptive logic that once said that only people of the same background and experiences could possibly understand each other and that they should only mix among themselves. It’s a familiar logic that supported a now rejected system in our society which suggested that diversity was just too complicated, and too messy and just too hard to figure out. And which justified telling people that looked like me that it would be for our own good and we would better off if we only lived in certain neighborhoods, and only went to certain schools.
Out of context, right. Earth to Hedgpeth, we already have actors with different backgrounds and experiences, even ones that look like you. Hell, even a few unfortunates that look like me. And I hate break it to you but we actually mix with each other. And it wasn’t that hard to figure out. What is hard to figure out is how the NED of a labor union could come up with such divisive drivel, where in one paragraph the leader talks about solidarity and the next paragraph suggest that wanting a labor union of only those who do the same work is somehow akin to apartheid. By, this convoluted logic carpenters, writers, actors, football, basketball players and hundreds of other unions are indulging in a rejected system in our society when they want to have their own union.
But of course, we now know that that logic, which might have sounded deceptively attractive to some, was flawed. And just as our society decreed in 1954 and again in 1964 and 1965 that whatever you call it, segregation, apartheid or “separation for you own good,” such logic has no place in our society.
At this point AFTRA audience gave her a standing ovation.
At first thought, the fact that Ms. Hedgpeth’s flawed and inflammatory logic would receive such a positive response is mindboggling, but then isn’t it the same kind of roaring response, self-serving employees gave Kenneth Lay at Enron meetings. Logic seems to go out the window when a group of individuals responds to rhetoric that aligns with their agenda--which in the case of AFTRA convention members is merger. They want to saddle SAG with their troubled financial status and pension plan. But wait, no, no wait, without merger, it’s apartheid, and those who only want all actors under one roof are, are…hell, let’s face it you are practically un-American.
So consequently, the idea that professional workers who may specialize in different crafts cannot successfully unite in a common cause under a common roof against common employers certainly has no place in the union movement in 2009.
The real logic that supports and leads to true power for labor in the entertainment and media industries where ownership is consolidated in the hands of a few corporate owners says that professional crafts and specializations not, only can but must unite in common case. Logic demands that the reporters at KGO TV in San Francisco and the singers on the Hollywood records label and the sports announcer at WMVP here in Chicago and the actors on “One Life To Live,” here in New York, can all say I may not know what it’s like to do your job but I can stand with you against our common employer when he does you an injustice. Because an injustice against anyone of us is an injustice against all of us. And a battle won by anyone of us, is a battle that gives all of us a better chance to succeed.
Ms. Hedgpeth’s comments are laughable. There is no power in stuffing various types of employees in one union, unless they are all part of the same contract, and are all able to go out on strike in mass to reach their demands. And if anyone believes that employers will ever let something like that happen I got some tickets to the "O’Reilly Factor" Testimonial Dinner honoring Keith Olbermann that I can let you have real cheap. As to standing with one another, we already do it all the time. Hell, we just stood with the writers, but that does not mean it would be wise to negotiate a contract with them in that we have different needs. And it certainly doesn’t mean we need to negotiate with newsmen, disc jockeys and weathermen. How many of them do you figure would go out on strike so that actors could retain residuals? 
But make no mistake getting to that place where those outside of this room who have not had that chance to share the convention with you this week, and don’t yet understand the potential for power as well as you do, or understand what’s needed to make it happen as well as you do, begins with the first step that you saw yesterday in the organizing presentation.
Do, you think they included in their organizing presentation their lack of success in organizing non-union cable news networks like CNN, MSNBC or Fox News. I have been told that AFTRA has not organized a new non-union LA radio station in decades.
Those first steps are taking the message of why being in a union matters, what being in a union provides, and why success depends on each taking that message to every member in every shop and every green room, in every recording studio, newsroom, rehearsal hall, and audition room in every local around this country.Those first steps will not be accomplished by your staff.
Unless of course they see and opportunity to undercut another SAG Contract.
The real cultural change is this union, and the real step in organizing requires involvement by members in making the first step toward that goal. Real organizing and the first step toward it, is ultimately owned by you, the member. It is for your staff to support, collaborate, assist teach where appropriate, guide where helpful, and recommend where necessary. But the success of your organizing efforts and the growth of both your power and the future of your opportunities in the entertainment industry rest ultimately in your hands as members.
That’s true. Unfortunately, members sit back and accept whatever leadership says or does. When dual card holders, see AFTRA undercut SAG contracts which they work under, they should speak up to the AFTRA leadership. Likewise, when they and their board members are refused the right to verify the results of referendums, or to even see certain contracts before they work them, they need to take matters into their hands and vote out the leaders that allow such nefarious things to happen. In fact, in the matter of this speech, they should take matters into their own hands and inform their elected leaders if they ever want their vote again they will send Ms. Hedgpeth on her way and to tell her to peddle her divisive diatribes elsewhere. By the sound of the ovation Ms. Hedgpeth received that ain’t gonna happen with “Screw SAG,” merger at any cost mentality, of those AFTRA leaders that now control the AFTRA board.
Now I have no doubt that given the solidarity, energy and commitment shown by the members at this convention that success will be achieved. It will be our honor as your staff to work with you and stand by you as you take the first steps following this convention to finally, at long last, begin the real work to realize the potential that the resilience, determination, and vision that the AFTRA members have shown through the challenges of the past two years is yours for the taking.
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Look, we can all have our opinions on merger, and even debate those opinions without indulging in the kind of divisive rhetoric, Ms. Hedgpeth displayed in her speech. Not only can we, but we must.
A.L. Miller SW Editor & Chief
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You have got to see the video of AFTRA’s NED Kim Hedgpeth’s Appalling ‘Apartheid’ Pro-Merger Speech 
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