On July 24, the Washington State Labor Council voted unanimously for continued support of Washington Filmworks at the 2014 Convention of the Washington State Labor Council.

Supporters of the resolution included SAG-AFTRA, IATSE Local 488 and Teamsters Local 174. Rik Deskin, who was the SAG-AFTRA delegate to the Labor Council Convention, amended the resolution from the floor right before it was voted up on the last day of the Convention, which ran from July 22-24 at the Wenatchee Convention Center.

According to the WSLC’s website, delegates representing the WSLC’s more than 500 affiliated labor organizations, with some 400,000 rank-and-file members, gathered to hear from distinguished labor, government and community leaders and to set the course for the state’s largest union organization in the coming year. See the 2014 WSLC Resolutions, as approved by convention delegates.

The full text of the resolution to continue support for Washington Filmworks can be seen below.

Continued Support For Washington Filmworks

Resolution #10

Submitted by IATSE 488 (Co-sponsored by SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local)

WHEREAS, Washington State continues to look to grow revenue and create jobs for Washington resident workers; and

WHEREAS, leaders of both the executive and legislative branches have indicated an intention to intensively review all government programs to determine their economic sustainability; and

WHEREAS, past experience has shown a glaring lack of public understanding of the Washington Filmworks program which supports the production of television, commercial and motion picture projects; and

WHEREAS, Washington Filmworks has attracted over 92 projects to the State that have had over $232 million of economic impact statewide; and

WHEREAS, Washington Filmworks’ projects have created thousands of union and family wage jobs that provide health and retirement benefits for the state’s actors, technical support workers, and production support businesses; and

WHEREAS, Washington Filmworks committed all $3.5M in available funds by May, 2014, and no longer has funds available to commit to deserving productions that provide employment of thousands of workers; and

WHEREAS, more than thirty-eight states currently provide similar and even greater financial support for film and video productions; and

WHEREAS, there is a rich body of evidence that proves the effectiveness of production incentives in the creation of non-polluting, well paid, sustainable work; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, support legislation ensuring that the State commit to funding Washington Filmworks at a level that increases the competitiveness of Washington State’s motion picture industry and ensures job creation and economic development opportunities across the state.

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