VOTE JOANNE BORTS for EQUITY COUNCILLOR
VOTE Joanne Borts for Actor’s Equity Council
It’s been a privilege to serve as your Principal Councillor, and now I look forward to getting back to my Chorus roots. For years I’ve watched opportunities for Chorus dwindle across the country, and it’s become my mission to protect members who must rely on our Equity Minimums. In my experience working in all three regions – as Chorus, Principal and Actor/Musician – I’ve learned that when we increase terms and conditions for Actors who cannot negotiate above minimum, we create stronger contracts for all Equity members, even our high-profile stars.
During my tenure on Council I’ve served on dozens of committees, including Member Education, Organizing, EEO and Media/New Technology. I’ve proudly participated in five Production contract negotiations – winning Personal Days, significant Salary increases, 401K with employer contributions, easier eligibility for health coverage (so more members can qualify), and vigorously spearheaded a long overdue 51% increase in the Understudy increment.
As your Voice on Council, I pledge to:
- Protect Chorus Jobs
- Define protections for Actor-Musicians
- Prioritize workplace safety
- Advocate targeted organizing campaigns for our under-represented communities
- Pursue improvements to the website and online signups
- Engage in the national political conversation, supporting candidates who champion Marriage Equality, Gun Control, Immigration Reform and a strong Labor Movement
In the same way that a great Chorus is made up of distinct individuals, contrasting opinions will ensure that Council is an effective governing body. Equity represents Actors of all ages, demographics and regions, and when we truly listen to our members – and each other – we build contracts that look toward the future and successfully represent our diverse membership.
PLEASE WATCH MY VIDEO STATEMENT: https://youtu.be/XZfoVTggpqU
With your Vote, I’ll continue to be your tireless advocate.
ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 23RD
www.facebook.com/JoanneBorts4AEA @JoanneBorts4AEA @Unite2Fight4you
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Joanne WHO?
I'm a New York based broadway actor and singer (most recently appearing in ONCE) who also performs in concerts and music festivals across the U.S., Canada and Europe. When I'm not on tour, I write and direct a really hip and innovative off-b'way kids show ~ I'm on the council of Actors' Equity and frequently sing the national anthem at professional sporting events. I love Barbershop harmony, playing my little red accordion and my husband's cooking... That's me!!
This was the book I mentioned, translated from the Yiddish: The Jewish Unions in Amnerica, which your members can read on line for free:
Newly arrived in New York in 1882 from Tsarist Russia, the sixteen-year-old Bernard Weinstein discovered an America in which unionism, socialism, and anarchism were very much in the air. He found a home in the tenements of New York and for the next fifty years he devoted his life to the struggles of fellow Jewish workers.
The Jewish Unions in America blends memoir and history to chronicle this time. It describes how Weinstein led countless strikes, held the unions together in the face of retaliation from the bosses, investigated sweatshops and factories with the aid of reformers, and faced down schisms by various factions, including Anarchists and Communists. He co-founded the United Hebrew Trades and wrote speeches, articles and books advancing the cause of the labor movement.