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COPYRIGHT AWARENESS WEEK - 2002
SPGA/SEATTLE CHAPTER MEETS WITH SENATOR CANTWELL'S OFFICE
May 14, 2002
The Graphic Artists Guild engaged in a national advocacy effort during Copyright Awareness Week, April 22-28, 2002, at the request of the Copyright Society of the USA. Around the United States, Guild members participated in 10 meetings with Congressional Representatives and staff to raise awareness of and promote our legislative issues. Guild chapters and members held educational workshops, hosted NPR broadcast special programs on copyright, and engaged in letter-writing campaigns. In all, our 2002 advocacy outreach to legislators has been a huge success.
On Tuesday, April 23, Board members from the SPGA/Seattle Chapter of the GAG, the Seattle ASMP and the Seattle NWU met with staff at Washington State Senator Maria Cantwell's Seattle office. Lisa Shaftel, SPGA/Seattle Chapter President, invited the Seattle ASMP and Seattle NWU chapters to join the meeting.
We had a great meeting with Livia Lam, Senator Maria Cantwell's King County Director. To summarize what Ms. Lam told us about Senator Cantwell:
* She's in strong support of the Intellectual Property Protection Restoration Act, S. 1611, in committee that week.
* She is knowledgeable of copyright and intellectual property issues (she used to be an executive at RealNetworks in Seattle), and is well aware of internet infringement problems. She understands our perspective as small business owners/independent contractors.
* She is a strong supporter of the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, S.694
* Amending Section 412 of the Copyright Laws, and antitrust exemption for collective bargaining were new issues for her, and we explained the current business practices and why these are necessary. Christopher Conrad, Co-President of the Seattle ASMP, made an especially good case for amending Section 412 that was particularly germane to photographers.
* She was aware of the CTEA (Copyright Term Extension Act), and the Eldred v. Ashcroft action, but wasn't aware of its ramifications and our desire for US compliance with the Berne Copyright Convention.
* We tied much of this in to the Kelley v. Arriba Soft, Napster, National Geographic, Tasini v. NY Times, and Boston Globe lawsuits, which were all adjudicated in favor of the artistic creators.
Chapter Vice President Janet Strong and Lisa Shaftel prepared a 12-page presentation folio containing paperwork covering everything we discussed plus samples from our members of work-for-hire jobs and infringements with clients such as Microsoft, Harcourt Brace, National Geographic, and Hasbro Toys. Heartfelt thanks to SPGA/Seattle Chapter members Ellen Forney, Henk Dawson, Sam Day, and Leslie Newman for offering samples of their work for the presentation.
Amy Andersen-Ross of the Seattle ASMP prepared a great presentation folio containing information about the National Geographic lawsuit and samples of photographers' work-for-hire jobs and infringements for the Senator.
Ms. Lam was very excited about the presentation samples, and she will give them to the Senator and Stacy Baird, Senator Cantwell's intellectual property advisor in her DC office. Senator Cantwell can bring this folio with her to meetings in Washington DC, and show it to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Our chapter has sent Senator Cantwell the Guild's Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. Ms. Lam said she will to keep in touch with us, and we urged her to call on us again in the future for additional information, testimonials or support.
Lisa Shaftel
SPGA/Seattle Chapter President
Graphic Artists Guild
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