John Campbell, 60, has been working in the film industry for 29 years as a grip and as a driver. In July, he was dropped from the industry health plan for the first time in his career, falling 7.5 …
John Campbell, 60, has been working in the film industry for 29 years as a grip and as a driver. In July, he was dropped from the industry health plan for the first time in his career, falling 7.5 hours short of the threshold needed to maintain eligibility.
Crew members must work 400 hours in a six-month period in order to keep health insurance under the Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans. A few are already starting to be dropped, but more could lose coverage if the strike lasts into the fall. The Entertainment Community Fund has been giving out emergency grants to workers. Through July 14, it distributed 1,000 grants totaling $1.7 million.
“They are getting clobbered by this,” Beitcher said. “They are losing their homes. They are getting their cars repossessed. They are losing their health insurance. All the government backstops that were there during the pandemic are gone.”held a food drive for entertainment workers at its Burbank office. Cars snaked down the street and around the block, as drivers waited for more than an hour to collect a few boxes of vegetables, rice, beans and canned goods.
Bridges said many of the jobs available now are in commercials, but that the key grips who specialize in that area are getting flooded with messages from guys who are out of work. He said his phone has stopped ringing and he has not worked more than 30 days this year. “It’s been a while already,” he said. “I don’t know if this strike is going to end next month or next year.”Chephren Rasika, a grip for the last 29 years, said that business has been dead since January. Like a lot of older grips, he has back issues, and has gone on disability. He said his income has dropped from $15,000 to $20,000 per month down to $6,000.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chipotle Mayo Doing All The Heavy Lifting In SandwichSTERLING, CO—Saying the condiment was really putting the rest of the team on its back, area man Kevin Bentley confirmed Thursday that the chipotle mayo was doing all the heavy lifting in his sandwich. “Looks like this mayo is going to have to carry us across the finish line, because there’s absolutely nothing else on…
Read more »
Heavy winds down power lines and large trees, leave homes condemned in South JerseyCleanup is underway after another round of severe weather left behind a trail of destruction around parts of the Delaware Valley this weekend.
Read more »
Watch the highlights of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch | Digital TrendsCheck out the highlights from SpaceX's recent launch of the mighty FalconHeavy, including the landing of the rocket's two side boosters.
Read more »
Typhoon Doksuri: Thousands flee their homes as heavy rain lashes BeijingBeijing recorded its heaviest rainfall this year as the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri passed through China's capital on Monday, forcing over 31,000 people to evacuate their homes in the city, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Read more »
Typhoon Doksuri: Thousands flee homes as heavy rain lashes China's capitalTens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes in Beijing as the remnants of Typhoon Doksuri dumped record rainfall on the city and grounded flights on Monday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Read more »
Heavy rain and flooding possible in Denver Monday night☔️ A Flood Watch goes into effect for the metro area and northern Front Range at 4 p.m. Monday. LisaDenver7 forecasts a possibility for rain, lightning, winds and hail by late afternoon and overnight. cowx
Read more »