UNFAIR EMPLOYER and DO NOT WORK NOTICE

UNFAIR EMPLOYER and DO NOT WORK NOTICE

FOR AFTRA MEMBERS

ONCE UPON A TIME FILMS, LTD. and SORDID PRODUCTIONS, LLC

UPDATE

Regarding Unfair Employer and Do Not Work Notice for Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd. and Sordid Productions, LLC

AFTRA has advised members that Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd. and Sordid Productions, LLC have been declared an Unfair Employer and AFTRA members may not accept employment from these companies. Because there are several entities with similar sounding names that are not involved in this matter, members are also advised to use care and contact their Local AFTRA office if they have any questions regarding the identity of the companies subject to the Do Not Work order.

The only entities declared Unfair and subject to the Do Not Work order are: “Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd.” and “Sordid Productions, LLC.” Other entities with similar sounding names, such as Del Shore’s “Sordid Lives, LLC,” and “Somewhat Sordid Publishing," are NOT parties involved in the pay dispute with AFTRA-represented performers and have not been declared unfair.

To view the Unfair Employer and Do Not Work Order, click here.

Please be advised that the Administrative Committee of the National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA, AFL-CIO) has declared Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd. and Sordid Productions, LLC unfair employers. AFTRA members may not accept employment from these Companies.

Sordid Productions, LLC (a/k/a Sordid Lives Productions, LLC) is the signatory company which produced "Sordid Lives," a series of 12 half-hour scripted dramatic episodes produced for exhibition on basic cable. In 2008, the exhibiting cable network began rerunning all episodes of “Sordid Lives,” and the AFTRA agreement with Sordid Productions, LLC requires a payment for each domestic rerun of an episode.

AFTRA presented a claim to Sordid Productions, LLC for the unpaid residuals, but despite representations and promises made by the Company throughout late 2008 and early 2009, no residual payments have yet been made to the AFTRA cast members.

AFTRA filed for arbitration and won an interim arbitration order finding that Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd. and Sordid Productions, LLC are alter egos and that both companies are jointly liable for residual payments. The AFTRA agreement specifically incorporates Paragraph 92 of the AFTRA Network Television Code, which empowers AFTRA to declare a signatory “unfair” by virtue of a material breach of the collective bargaining agreement and, further, to order its members not to work for such unfair producer.

AFTRA Franchised Talent Agents are also hereby advised that pursuant to the AFTRA Regulations Governing Talent Agents they may not engage their AFTRA member clients for services provided to Once Upon a Time Films, Ltd. or Sordid Productions, LLC.

If you have questions about this notice or about the signatory or “unfair” status of an employer, please contact your nearest AFTRA office.

Click here to see the list of AFTRA Locals.

Click here to visit AFTRA.com.