No strings attached

We're encouraged by Occupy Wall Street. And by voters in Ohio who rejected legislation making unions in the public sector illegal.
We're concerned about reports that Employer of Record scams are proliferating. And that independent contractor status is abused. We're sad when we read of workers with pre-existing medical conditions who can't buy insurance, regardless of price. And we're curious as to when artists will figure out the VES "Bill of Rights" is missing an enforcement mechanism to ensure that the goals of that document actually stand a snowball's chance in hell of becoming a reality. Not to mention that a "self-pay" medical insurance program will be prohibitively expensive and unworkable.
That's why we make the following suggestion:
If you work for a "employer of record", or are paid as an independent contractor, or are denied overtime, meal breaks, or reasonable rest:
Give us a call. Anonymously. I'm a labor lawyer. Have been for 39 years. I have friends at the California Dept of Labor Law Enforcement. At the NLRB. Social Security. Fair Employment Practices Commission.
Don't want to sign a card? I'll live with that. Don't want to reveal your name or place of employment? I'll live with that too.
What I won't live with is letting you get screwed. So, give me a call. Let's figure out a way to protect you without exposing you to retaliation and harassment.
The first step is to get you paid what you're owed. After that, the possibilities are endless.
But let's get started.
Jimmy
vfx@iatse-intl.org
phone: 818-980-3499