Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 09/27/2026 10:30:51 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
Several Hollywood actors, including Princess Diaries star Heather Matarazzo, are trying to raise awareness about new actor’s union requirements that could cause many performers to lose their healthcare benefits.
Matarazzo, whose last role was in the 2025 short film Paper Tiger, told fans on her social media that if she does not get a paying acting role soon, the new union rules will cause her to lose her health insurance, according to Variety.
She made her comment in reply to a similar post made by actor Jack Haven, who told fans that he is $4,000 short of reaching the annual $28,933 earning requirement to retain his SAG-AFTRA health insurance plan.
The most recent SAG-AFTRA union contract is not static at the $28,933 income level, either. According to the agreement, actors will find the annual earning total rise by $900 a year all the way to 2030, meaning that by then actors will have to earn $32,533 every year thereafter before being qualified to enroll in the union’s healthcare plan.
Union scale wages for speaking roles are currently as low as $256 a day for low-budget productions and $1,283 per day for productions carrying a $2 million budget or more.
The Welcome to the Dollhouse star echoed Haven’s distress, telling her fans, “I am literally in the same boat right now. Lots of my fellow actors are. I remember a time when we didn’t have to earn a minimum to qualify for insurance.”
The union began a series of steps several years ago to change the plan “to address financial deficits facing the plan.”
But, according to Variety, that means about 90 percent of actors are no longer covered under the union’s healthcare plans.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
I don’t think California is a right to work state. So even if they decide not to join the union (not sure if joining is compulsory) they still have to pay union dues. On a practical note studios and even independents may be very reluctant to hire non-union cast and crew because of probable repercussions by the union.
Why do you assume he has access to VA healthcare?
First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.
Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.
I heard recently Star Trek Generations cast members Jonathan Frakes say he and Brent Spiner lost their SAG-AFTRA union health insurance on their podcast they do called “Dropping Names”.
I myself pay $498 a month for my Medicare A&B and Anthem Blue Cross Part G with Mutual of Omaha and Wellcare drugs part D.
That is about $6,000 a year paid with my social security check.
And yet, actors don't even become car salesmen.
“And they all voted for this.”
Did they though?
They voted for the public officials and union leaders who are responsible for this. All of whom want more money in their pockets, and you don’t matter to them.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could just sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could jut sign up for Obamacare.
Those poor actors could jut sign up for Obamacare.
Well alrighty then.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.