Thanks to STA reader Naia for passing along this email:
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Scott Harris, the President of Innovative Artists Agency in Santa Monica, announced, via MEMO, on Friday, that he was cutting ALL HEALTH BENEFITS for the 50+ assistants and LOWER-level employees, RETROACTIVE to June 1st. He stated that the decision was made “after much deliberation in the face of the ever-increasing costs of medical premiums.” However, the move did NOT affect the AGENTS or AGENT-TRAINEES, only the lower-level employees, all of whom earn inthe range of $400-$425/week. MAXIMUM. Harris only offers pay increases 1 time per year, in the amount of $25/week.
What does this mean? If an assistant stays at Innovative for 3 years, their ending salary 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
I’m no expert, but I thought it was illegal to have top-heavy benefit schemes.
YOU ALL HAVE IT WRONG. APPARENTLY HIS INTENTION WAS TO INCREASE THEIR SALARIES SO THAT THEY CAN PAY FOR THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE….BECAUSE MANY OF THE ASSISTANTS ASKED FOR THAT!!!!!
let’s say it would cost you – you personally go to get insurance-you would pay, let’s say $100/month for a benefits plan with Kaiser…it would cost your company like a $1,000/mo. Companies get ripped off by insurance co.
…therefore by increasing your salary – you get your own benefits and the company doesn’t lose crazy amounts of money, everybody wins, so…
Are we talking about insurance for employee only, or for children/family also? It would have to be one LARGE pay increase either way.
What about those who cannot get healthcare coverage due to pre-existing conditions? They are screwed. Companies will cover you unless you get sick. Most employee health plans guard against this.
If we barrage that worm, Scott Harris, with letters (well-deserved hate mail), unfortunately and ironically, the assistants would be burdened by it. They’d have to tote the letters in from the mailbox, sort it, possibly date stamp it, open it, and very likely – reply to it. Thus, it would create more work for the overworked/underpaid assistants. I wish you could publish his home mailing address…THAT might do the trick.
The most pathtic part of all these complaints is that you all you people must know the film industry is going down hill because if the internet. Thier a god dame credit crunch actors and writers are going on strike. If you had your own business loosing mony what would you do. O i know you would keep loosing money. Im not rich but the the jealouly of the rich is a joke. People are rich becacuse they got off thier asses to amke the mony and try to be above the system. If this is such a big problem get another job. You are in the most cutt thogght industry inn the world and when it comes to mony it wont be handed to you becuase you worked so moany houres. I do not even work for the comapny i work in the music industry and i will tell you its the sme thing. just be happy the comapny hasent gone bust and you still have your jobs you lazy fucks