Protect the Work.
For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked alongside you - first as a grip and later as your Business Agent (aka Representative) -through the ups and downs that have defined our industry. I know what it feels like when the work dries up, and I know what it takes to bring it back. I was directly involved in authoring the Georgia Film Tax Incentive, which put our state in the top three nationwide for film production. My experiences have influenced every decision I’ve made and every fight I’ve taken on for this membership.
THE FIGHT FOR ASA RATE PARITY
“Mike Akins of Local 479 has been the number one advocate for wage parity across jurisdictions in the ASA for years.”
For years, I’ve led the push to close the gap between Maryland and non-Maryland wage and benefit rates in our contract. Since 2009, I’ve made parity a priority in every single negotiation cycle—fighting for equal pay for equal work, and especially for equal benefit contributions across the board, since historically the southern states have seen lower rates than the New England states. In 2024, that long-standing effort finally paid off. A clear path to parity was secured, marking a major win for our members and the future of our jurisdiction.
MAINTAINING OUR INCENTIVE ADVANTAGE
The two key factors making our incentive the best in the country are:
1. No Cap
2. rebate percentage applies to both labor AND goods/services
Right now, the IA Political team is working on lobbying for a federal-wide tax incentive, a key necessity to bringing production work back to the United States from overseas.
The film tax incentive here in GA was written specifically to ensure that our state was the most lucrative location for production in this country. It has served us well for 15 years, and I strongly believe that as long as we maintain its integrity, it will continue to make us the most competitive state in America.
LASTING PRODUCTION PARTNERSHIPS
The producers that live and work in GA are the ones that hire our members over and over again. It’s essential to have a good working relationship with them so that they continue to employ union members and operate under union contracts.
Because I recognize their importance to the stability of our members’ jobs, I have made it my business to collaborate with them to resolve issues in mutually beneficial ways, all for the purpose of ensuring continued employment for members on future projects.
Overall, they respect the importance of our Union Labor to the success of their projects, and they understand that by treating their crews well and cooperating with the union, we can be partners in creating successful opportunities for everyone to work consistently and responsibly for years to come.