Unbelievable. Check this out.
- Forwarded Message
From: thomas nelson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 3:07:09 PM
Subject: Re: [LAProducer] FW: Forward - Grossly unjust act
If these are full time employee's, I can't see how he can legally
do this. I think California has specific laws that require all firms with more
than 10 full time employees to provide health insurance. The only exception is
for financial hardship. I doubt that is the case with IA. Interesting how the
normally liberal world of Hollywood is following the lead of other mainstream
corporations.
Ryan Vernon <[EMAIL PROTECTED] com> wrote: Just pulled this off one
of my other boards and felt it would be worth
sharing.
Ryan Vernon
-- Forwarded Message
Good Morning! I'm sorry to send such a large, mass-email, but I readthis
article in this morning's Daily Variety, and I felt compelled to send this
along.
Scott Harris, the President of Innovative Artists Agency in SantaMonica,
announced, via MEMO, on Friday, that he was cutting ALL HEALTHBENEFITS for
the 50+ assistants and LOWER-level employess, RETROACTIVEto June 1st. He
stated that the decision was made " "after muchdeliberation in the face of
the ever-increasing costs of medicalpremiums. " However, the move did NOT
affect the AGENTS orAGENT-TRAINEES, only the lower-level employees, all of
whom earn inthe range of $400-$425/week. MAXIMUM. Harris only offers
payincreases 1 time per year, in the amount of $25/week. What does thismean?
If an assistant stays at Innovative for 3 years, their endingsalary would be
$475. In addition, an amount of roughly $40 per WEEK is deducted to cover
HEALTH BENEFITS. So, after each employee contributes an amount of about $170
PER MONTH for a health benefit program that only covers 60%, (after
deductable), Mr. Harris decides to CUT the benefits for these GROSSLY
underpaid assistants, in order to save money. Yet his cuts do NOT affect
those whose salaries are MORE than enough to cover private health care. He
even had the GALL to say this: "Most Innovative assistants are very young
and do not have medical issues (and hence do not get much value from the
coverage),"he wrote. Harris said the agency would institute a new pay
structure for assistants that would allow them to make more money, which he
felt was a higher priority for them."
The worst part? He was OUT OF THE COUNTRY when he sent this memo.This coward
didn't even have the strength of character to FACE his employees when he cut
their benefits. Why does this bother me? Many reasons:
#1. This is just one example of the huge injustice that these large
companies get away with time and time again. It occurred in the Wal-Mart
corporation just last year, the US Government cut Veteran's benefits - its
an unending cycle that is continuing to propagate because the majority of
people are turning a blind eye.
#2. These cuts are primarily affecting the lowest paid individuals.
#3. He made the assumption that most assistants are young and don't require
medical care. If this were true, then children wouldn't require
Pediatricians. Young people wouldn't require Preventative Care. No one,
especially not the YOUNG WOMEN who happen to become pregnant, require any
healthcare. YOUNG = NO NEED for doctors.
It is reverse ageism, if nothing else. It is no better than cutting the
prescription benefits for the elderly.
If this were just an issue at one small company in Santa Monica, I probably
wouldn't be so bothered. But this is a MUCH larger issue that I am starting
to see a seriously disturbing pattern of.
So, I've decided to try to spearhead a grass-roots campaign.Obviously, we
can't change everything. But if everyone shares this information with other
people, we can reach a large enough audience to enact change.
To start, I am beginning a letter-writing campaign to Mr. Scott Harris,
President of Innovative Artists. My goal is to have him innundated with at
least 500 letters stating our outrage at his AUDACIOUS and CRIMINAL act. If
this works, then it will be a good sign that affecting a greater change is
possible.
Please join me in writing a letter to express your opinions to:
SCOTT HARRIS
1505 10th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Daily Variety Article:
Innovative cuts health benefits
Move does not affect senior, junior agents
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Talent agency Innovative Artists instituted a cost-cutting innovation
that had 50 or more assistants and mailroom staff threatening to call
in sick on Monday -- because they no longer have health benefits.
In a memo from agency president Scott Harris dated Friday, staffers
were informed that their health benefits had been eliminated,
retroactive to June 1. In the memo, a copy of which was obtained by
Daily Variety, Harris told the staff the decision was made "aft
