[ACCESSWIRE]
Actress-Filmmaker Reem Kadem and Chameleon Pictures Organize Fight to Protect the Income Rights of More than 2.6-million Affected Workers with Film, "SELF SERVE"
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2018 / More than 2.6-million waiters and waitresses in the USA could experience a major hit to their income if The Department of Labor has its way in gaining the approval of the Trump Administration. The Department of Labor is moving to shift the ownership of tips paid by customers from the wait-staff to the restaurant owners… a move that would directly benefit restaurant owners at the detriment and direct cost to servers nationwide. Actress, Filmmaker and Activist Reem Kadem describes this policy change "completely unfair and unjust" and her production company, Chameleon Pictures, is producing a documentary film entitled "SELF SERVE," to help spread awareness for this proposed rule change.
"Waiters and waitresses constitute as one of the largest categories of employees in all of The United States, and are among the hardest working of employees as a whole," said Reem. "Most of millions of wait-staff workers are already fighting to survive on a lower-than-living-wage income. They depend on the tips they get for good service, and to take this crucial income away to benefit restaurant owners is short-sighted and is a transparent representation of greed. This is another example of reverse-trickle-down economic policies, with promises to help workers, while quietly implementing policies to shift money from struggling families to further enrich those that need it the least. We are hopeful that the American electorate will recognize the unfairness of this proposed Department of Labor rule change, and will stand up for their friends and neighbors that comprise the wait-staff work force of this country," she continued. "But we need our voices to be heard, and everyone can help by texting TIP to 225568 to voice to The Department of Labor why they oppose this rule - and certainly by sharing this teaser and the documentary film we will be releasing soon."
Kadem's film, "SELF SERVE" is being produced as a non-profit New Media venture under the Screen Actors Guild, and a teaser-summary of the film is available for viewing free-of-charge via YouTube. The "SELF SERVE" film project is gaining momentum and support from entertainment industry professionals and a broad base of Americans - from restaurant workers and servers to the millions of customers patronizing the food-service industry. The film project is evolving and being updated as new information and participants join the fight against the policy change. Current and notable film industry participants include: Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, ("Anna"/JFK); Actress/Filmmaker Reem Kadem ("Nawal the Jewel"/"Blood Ride" in which she starred with James Franco); Neil Brown Jr. ("Straight Outta Compton"); Actress/Filmmaker Star Noor ("Where's the Dragon"); Producer/Distributor Eric Parkinson (Hannover House); Award-winning Filmmaker Jeffrey Reddick (Creator of "Final Destination"); Actress Lourdes Colon ("Lost Souls"); Award winning Filmmaker Michael Matteo Rossi ("Mysogynist"/"Sable"); Entertainment Journalist Sanna Khan ("When Bollywood Meets Hollywood"); Actor/Comedian Derrick Redford (Kevin Hart's 'Laugh Out Loud"); and Actor/Comedian Amir K ("MADtv" and with millions of followers on YouTube). The film's teaser can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9IiPYimi0g&feature=youtu.be
Reem Kadem is an actress and filmmaker currently residing in Los Angeles. Principal motion picture credits include "Blood Ride" in which she co-starred with James Franco, the Indian cinema epic, "Nawal the Jewel" and a plethora of notable feature film and television credits. Her most recent feature release, "Nawal the Jewel" was a major success throughout India this past summer and earned Reem critical praise from The Times of India (the nation's largest newspaper) as "…brilliant and probably the best part of the film."
Ms. Kadem is currently visiting New York City to be accessible for media interviews to discuss her film and the Department of Labor rule change.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & CONTACTS
For information on servers / wait-staff workers that would be affected by this ruling, please see the United States Department of Labor occupational summary for restaurant waiters / waitresses: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/waiters-and-waitresses.htm
For additional information on the Department of Labor ruling action, visit the CBS MoneyWatch article: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-may-shift-tips-to-restaurant-owners/
For More Information - or to set-up an Interview with Reem Kadem, contact:
STAR NOORBAKHSH, at Social Film Group - 352-222-8464, email: [email protected] or email REEM KADEM directly at: [email protected]
SOURCE: Chameleon Pictures
