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New York Coalition for Unity, a slate headed by SAG-AFTRA co-president Roberta Reardon, announced its candidates Sunday. Reardon, at the top of the ticket, is running for president of the union’s NY Local, as The Hollywood Reporter reported exclusively Saturday.
In a letter to membership, the group said: “Our team represents every member category. We are principal actors, background actors, singers, dancers, broadcasters, Spanish-language performers, recording artists, audiobook narrators and stunt performers. We have negotiating and work experience with every contract under SAG-AFTRA’s jurisdiction.”
STORY: SAG-AFTRA Co-President Roberta Reardon Running for NY Local President (Exclusive)
“Throughout my union career, I have focused on one thing – securing good union jobs for our members with the strongest rates and conditions possible,” Reardon said. “Achieving the merger of our two unions is a signature piece of my work. Fulfilling the promise of that merger is our next task.”
Reardon has secured endorsements from several of SAG-AFTRA’s national and former national officers.
“We can thank co-president and Commercials Negotiating chair Roberta Reardon for the $238 million gain in Commercials wages and benefits that was, as (co-president) Ken Howard says, a show of ‘REAL strength,’” said co-secretary treasurer Amy Aquino. “Roberta’s vision, courage and hands-on leadership brought us together in merger and then brought unprecedented unity at the bargaining table. Reardon is a true leader.”
The mention of Howard is somewhat surprising, since he has endorsed incumbent Mike Hodge for reelection as N.Y. Local president, as THR previously reported. Hodge tops the ticket for USAN, a slate that has existed for a number of years, pre- and post-merger.
The differing endorsements by Howard and Aquino mark something of a rift within their group, the LA-based Unite for Strength (which is remaining neutral as between the two NY slates). Indeed, although Howard and Aquino continue to lead UFS, they are running slate-less this time around, as previously reported. The other leader of UFS, union executive vice president Ned Vaughn, is not running for re-election.
Sources say that Reardon will also run for that office, albeit without Howard’s endorsement. Reardon declined comment Saturday on any executive vp plans she may have. The executive vp is elected at the union’s convention, which will be held at the end of September, whereas most other positions, such as president, secretary-treasurer, local presidents and board seats, are elected by direct balloting in a process that runs from mid-July to mid-August.
STORY: New York SAG-AFTRA Group Announces Slate
In L.A., UFS and its expected challengers have not yet released their candidate lists for board positions. For officers, Howard and Aquino will be opposed by Esai Morales for president and Jane Austin for secretary-treasurer, running as part of a slate that is viewed by observers as likely to be a successor to MembershipFirst, the group that controlled SAG from roughly 2005 through early 2009.
Other candidates are expected as well. The union has not yet released the official list of candidates; that is expected within the next week or so, since ballots are scheduled to go out July 16.
For her candidacy to be N.Y. Local president, Reardon also garnered endorsements from LA Local co-president Gabrielle Carteris and national board member and former SAG national president Richard Masur.
In addition to Reardon, NYC4U officer candidates include Anne Gartlan, Holter Graham, Jim Kerr and Sue-Anne Morrow running as N.Y. Local vice presidents. The group also listed the following candidates for national and local board:
Actors: Polly Adams, Corey Anker, David Basche, Avis Boone, Richard Ferrone, Tim Gallin, Anne Gartlan, Dion Graham, Holter Graham, Anita Hollander, Phoebe Jonas, Gerald M. Kline, James Lurie, Gy Mirano, Carol Monda, Sue-Anne Morrow, Robert Newman, Roberta Reardon, Matt Servitto, Mike Shapiro, Tracey Spinney, Monica Trombetta, Amy Warren andSally Winters.
Endorsed Independents: Janette Gautier, Kathy Keane, Samantha Mathis and Linda Powell.
Broadcasters: Dave Browde, Richard Hake, Jim Kerr, John Metaxas and Jeff Spurgeon.
Singer: Paul Rolnick.
Dancer: Autavia Bailey.
Bookmark The Hollywood Reporter’s Labor Page for the most in-depth coverage of entertainment unions and guilds.
Email: jhandel99 at gmail dot com
Twitter: @jhandel
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