With the TV and Feature ‘Return to Work’ discussions concluding on September 21st, 2020, and our Industry reopening with many of our Members returning to work, the Local 399 Executive Board has reviewed the COVID-19 Emergency Dues Policy and has approved the following updates and reminders. If you have ANY concerns or questions about your account, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Union Hall Member Specialists. They are here to help and are the best resource when it comes to understanding your account at the Union.

We are continuing to see our Industry get busier and more Members return to work each week. We cannot stress enough that if you have any questions or concerns around your safety at work, please make your Business Agent your first call. We are in this together as we navigate the next phase of this COVID-19 pandemic.

Updates Adopted by the Local 399 Executive Board on September 29th, 2020

MEMBERS RETURNING TO WORK:

For Members that are returning to work, per our Local 399 By-Laws you are responsible for your dues even if you work just one day in the month. If you return to work at the beginning or middle of a quarter, our Front Office Staff will recommend you complete your full quarterly dues payment in order to keep your account as current as possible, and to receive timely dues payment reminders to help keep you from falling behind and accruing additional fees.

MEMBERS COMING OFF OF WITHDRAWAL TO WORK:

If you completed a Withdrawal request at some point over the past couple months, and were current with your dues when placed on a Withdrawal status, you will only be responsible for the dues payments moving forward. You will not need to pay back dues for the months in which you were on Withdrawal.

MEMBERS COMING OFF A ‘HOLD’ STATUS TO WORK:

Typically in order to take a Withdrawal, a Member must be current with their dues in order to process the request. Due to the COVID-19 Emergency Dues Policy, the Local 399 Executive Board allowed Members that were not current with their dues to take a ‘HOLD Status’. This meant that Members would be able to pause their account and they would not be responsible for dues during the months on ‘HOLD’ however, those Members would still be responsible for any past owed dues and/or fines prior to their ‘HOLD Status’ Request. That said, when you return to work, you will be expected to get current with your late dues and any fines, as well as the current dues for the months you are beginning to work. Again, no additional dues payments were added for the time you were on a ‘HOLD’ Status. If you have any questions about your account or how much you owe, please call the Union Hall Front Office: 818-985-7374.

MAKING PAYMENTS ON YOUR INITIATION:

If you are a new Member that was in the middle of paying off your Initiation fees when the COVID-19 shutdown occurred, when you return to work you will be expected to pay the dues for the month you are working and you will need to start back up on your monthly initiation payments. Please contact the Union Hall Front Office for an update to the amount owed and the details of your payment plan: 818-985-7374.

MEMBERS THAT HAVE YET TO RETURN TO WORK ON A WITHDRAWAL OR HOLD STATUS:

For Members that completed a form to take a Withdrawal or be placed on a ‘HOLD’ Status during the COVID-19 shutdown, our Local 399 Executive Board included a provision that allowed Members to stay on an “AVAILABLE” Status with the Call Board despite being on an Honorary Withdrawal. As of September 29th the Local 399 Executive Board has voted to continue this provision of the policy until November 1st, 2020. As of November 1st, in order to remain “AVAILABLE” for work on the Call Board you must be off of Withdrawal and current with your Dues. If you have any questions please let us know.

QUARTERLY DUES REMINDER:

As a reminder for Members that pay your dues Quarterly, your dues are due every January, April, July and October. You have the entire month to make a payment to avoid late fees. Failure to make a payment before the end of the final month of the quarter will result in suspension.

Our Front Office Staff if here to help! If you have any questions about your account, please do not hesitate to reach out via email: office@ht399.org.