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WHEREAS, the Radio, Television and Film Industry of the United States of America has its roots in the City of Pittsburgh by the creative impetus of companies such as KDKA-Radio, the Westinghouse Corporation and WQED-Television; and
WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of American citizens are employed in the film industry and many are members of labor unions such as the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) as well as other unions; and
WHEREAS, when the motion picture industry shoots a film, commercial or television program on location in our great City of Pittsburgh, a significant financial and employment gain is brought to Pittsburgh workers in sectors such as hotel, motel and restaurant businesses, trucking and construction firms among others; and
WHEREAS, each year thousands of American Film Related jobs are lost to other countries due to "Runaway Production", which is the un-American practice of moving the production of an American Motion Picture or Commercial outside the United States, because it can be done much cheaper; and
WHEREAS, due to Runaway Production, the major film unions of SAG, AFTRA and DGA have estimated a collective financial loss to the United States at about $10 Billion per year.
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby understands the employment, educational and entertainment value of the motion picture industry, and supports the American Film Industry effort to keep film work here in the United States as well as the dignified legal efforts and economic vision of Mayor Tom Murphy, Governor Edward Rendell, the Pittsburgh Film Office, the Film and Television Action Committee, SAG, DGA and other unions and groups such as Film NY U.S.A. and Actors and Friends, all of whom are poised against Runaway Production, to help bring and keep film pro...
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