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SAG announced tonight that, due to space constraints of the Harmony Gold theater and the guild’s policy of using union venues, tomorrow’s information confab is being limited to the first 450 paid-up members. (The WGA used the very large Shrine and Santa Monica civic auditoriums for their Town Hall meetings — and SAG is a much larger union, 120K vs 12K. I’m told SAG sought bigger venues but no other union venues were available on such short notice.) Meanwhile, I hear some below-the-liners and/or a “faction” of members intend to picket outside in protest. Here is SAG’s website notice:
TOWN HALL MEETING – DECEMBER 8, 2008
Dear Screen Actors Guild Member,
We know many of you plan to attend the informational Town Hall meeting at Harmony Gold Theater tomorrow at 7 pm. While we tried to secure a larger venue, seasonal parties, award consideration screenings, and our policy to use only union facilities, limited our options.
We will admit the first 450 members who have paid up SAG membership cards to the Town Hall. We are currently looking for an appropriate venue so that we can hold another Town Hall for Hollywood SAG members very soon.
We appreciate your interest in your union and will continue to work around the clock to plan an additional Town Hall in the near future.
Thank you.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I wrote this on another thread, but, do any of you fellow SAG members find it interesting that SAG is sending out ballots during the Christmas holidays? What a great time to ensure that there will be low voter turnout, which will most likely result in Alan’s desired outcome, a strike authorization. See, most working actors that actually have an actual career at stake get their SAG related mail sent to their business managers, who are conveniently closed for the holidays. Oh Alan, you sneaky little devil.
The new argument from the SAG hardliners is a little frightening: “Don’t blame us, blame the AMPTP.” A little bit like saying “The devil made us do it.”
Folks, look, YOUR leadership blew the negotiations process. They delayed and delayed, then they grandstanded. All of which accomplished nothing. And striking will accomplish nothing – see Exhibit A, the WGA strike. If you think you’re going to reinvent the wheel simply because you have a larger membership, you’re delusional. The studios are already prepared to shoot video instead of film and use AFTRA actors. They will find a way to get around you. They can wait this out, no matter how long you drag it out. But the community CANNOT. You WILL NOT hurt the CEOs with your strike; you will only hurt the people who depend on production to survive.
It’s disturbing to see and hear such vehement cries of readiness to shut the entire city down because of a botched negotiation strategy. And statements like this one –
“We get it. BTL don’t want actors to strike. But we will if we have to. Accept it.”
– or this one –
“Sounds like the AMPTP sh… er, um, people are getting sweaty and desperate. If you’re not gonna aim your anger where it belongs then you should just sit at home and keep your mouths shut. It’s just a meeting, people. The strike authorization will go out soon enough and you can get your panties in a wad when that happens. And then you can post the same spin and BS that keeps getting dug up here.”
– Statements like those only reinforce the resentment towards actors for dragging this out and hurting everyone and doing so with a perceived smugness and arrogance that you will never, never be able to live down. And if you think you’ll have the community’s support when your work stoppage is suffocating the life out of everyone, you’d better read the handwriting on the wall and damned fast.
No one is saying you don’t deserve better. We all do. No one is saying that the studios are playing fair — they aren’t and everyone knows it. But there are right times and wrong times to throw a strike. AND THIS IS THE WRONG TIME, A MORE WRONG TIME HASN’T VISITED HOLLYWOOD BEFORE. The nation is in economic crisis, this city is already on its knees. Why is that so hard to understand? And why is anyone who asks you to do the compassionate thing by NOT STRIKING a “studio shill”? We’re just trying to survive.
You say you can’t wait on this, that you have to fight this fight now. But you can wait. You can. Revisit it in three years, when you’ve got documented proof that the studios are making money off new media. Revisit it in three years when the economy has had time to recover and you won’t be risking people’s lives by striking. Revisit it in three years when there is a Democrat in the White House, who will be friendly to the needs of the community, instead of the current fascist prick who would allow the corporations to beat their employees if they could get away with it.
I know about a million people are going to viciously lash out and name-call and attack this posting and me for saying all this, they’ll label me a “studio shill”, they’ll exclaim that I don’t get what’s at stake, that I should just keep my mouth shut. But my job’s at stake too. I’m a human being, like you. So are all the other people who will be hurt by a strike.
This isn’t the time. This isn’t the time. Just please, think about that. Think about the damage a strike will do right now. People have mortgages, debt, rent, families, children. This city, this community simply can’t afford it.
Just so everyone can get a sense of the duplicity of UFS and its supporters: Richard Masur (THE biggest MF-hater) was THE guy responsible for the motion that was passed 97% to 3% at the October plenary.
Here is what that motion, proposed BY RICHARD MASUR said we should do:
1. That motion stated that SAG would seek a federal mediator.
2. SAG did seek a federal mediator.
3. SAG did mediate with the AMPTP.
4. The mediator told SAG mediation was over, after 2 days of SAG trying to find some solution and offering up many proposals, with the AMPTP offering up nothing in return. Repeat – NOTHING.
5. SAG voted 15 to 2 to send out a strike authorization vote, including the “moderates” on the negotiation committee. It was NOT a party line vote – including Masur, who voted “yes.”
6. Now, SAG is going for a strike authorization, with information attached advocating for a “yes” vote.(what the proposal by Masur SAID SAG should do)
7. “No SAG board member or SAG division would speak publicly against the final decision of the negotiation committee.” (language Masur agreed on)
Guess what : BOTH Richard Masur AND Mike Hodge have violated that pledge.
Guess who posts on Sagwatch.net attacking the SAG leadership? Eileen Henry. Richard Masur’s wife.
With the ‘sudden’ revelations about IATSE contract the picketers might want to focus their energy on the health care and whatever else they’ve just lost to New Media in their own contract instead of telling SAG members which way the wind the blows.
And that’s not to gloat. It’s sad. AMPTP are not your friends or ours. Everyone in and out of SAG needs to wake up as to what these contracts will cost us.
United we stand. Divided we fall.
My YES vote just got stronger.
I just have one question for all the actor’s out there who are in favor of a strike. What will happen if you do strike and all of television finally goes over to AFTRA and you will make less money then you currently make on the expired SAG contract?
Transpo writes, “Damn right we’ll be there and will you be able to look us in the eyes you smug SOB?”
####
As an American I support public protest. And if you need to be there protesting, so bet it. Although my opinion is as we make a circus and a mockery of each or our individual contract negotiations amongst ourselves the only winner is the AMPTP. And each time they win, we, collectively lose.
If your implication is that I should be ashamed to cross your ad hoc picket line to attend my own union’s informational meeting then we will need to disagree.
As for “staying the course,”– W sending our boys and girls overseas is a world away from an organized union stateside trying to negotiate a contract that will protect our children, homes, health care, income, and future. Somehow your verbal aggression makes me wonder if you didn’t support W back in 2004–because you really don’t sound like a Nader supporter, and Kerry…no, I don’t see it.
We’re all scared in this economy for the same exact reasons. Today the holes in the IATSE agreement are coming to light. Sometimes preventing a bad situation is better than ignoring it in three year intervals–or in the case of W, four years.
Hi, “2 cents”. It’s clear that you are not one of the posters anyone would call a “shill”. Your thoughts are clear and well put – even toned politely. Kudos to you for making an well-spoken and impassioned argument (and your tone is appreciated as well). However, your statements are still inaccurate.
To wit:
“You say you can’t wait on this, that you have to fight this fight now. But you can wait. You can. Revisit it in three years…”
It has been shown time and time again that the AMPTP will not allow this to happen. These core contract issues will not be allowed on the bargaining table in the future. For example, VHS and DVD participation (for both SAG and WGA) has been a non-starter.
“…when you’ve got documented proof that the studios are making money off new media.”
We already do have documented proof of the income generated by online media. An independent study was done much earlier this year. I don’t have all of the particulars but there are millions of dollars being made by AMPTP companies in new media. This information is available if anyone cares to seek the truth. You don’t have to take my word for it.
And please remember this important point: SAG isn’t asking for “more” with regards to new media. We only want the same (even a bit less) residual income model we already have in current, traditional media. It’s profit-sharing from re-use of our work (our talents and our image), not payment up-front like the DGA and/or WGA (which is why their contracts aren’t applicable to our situation, as the AMPTP continually states). And it’s not like the AMPTP can’t afford it (as they’re also lamenting). Even if they really weren’t making profits in new media (which they are), SAG talent wouldn’t get, nor ask for, one thin dime from them. So why the problem? (Rhetorical question, because we all know the problem is that the AMPTP wants to take all residuals away from all of us now and for the foreseeable future – they’ve stated this publicly.)
“Revisit it in three years when the economy has had time to recover and you won’t be risking people’s lives by striking.”
And in three years, will that be a “better” or “good” time to strike? Three (or six, or nine…) years from now, everyone will be saying the same thing, “Now is not a good time to strike”.
There is never a “good time” to strike. SAG doesn’t want it, the AMPTP doesn’t want it, the entire industry doesn’t want it. But the AMPTP has forced SAG into a corner where our livelihood is being threatened for now and forever in the future.
Would any of you, in your particular facet of the industry, agree to that? Making 2/3 to 1/2 of your income for the next 30 years (and beyond)? Of course not. Wouldn’t you want to get paid money already owed to you from almost a year ago based on a contract you agreed to? Of course you would. AMPTP has demanded that the $60 million they owe SAG actors from force majeure during the WGA strike be “forgiven”. Is that the kind of “rollback” you’d agree to? No effing way. But you want SAG to agree to it so you all don’t lose work yourselves.
“Revisit it in three years when there is a Democrat in the White House, who will be friendly to the needs of the community, instead of the current…”
Not an issue. The entertainment industry will not be a concern for the incoming President, as there are much, much larger problems on his plate.
As to your statement about SAG “dragging this out” and the industry being slow because of it: It’s clear that film production is down this year compared to two years ago. (How it compares to last year is moot because of the WGA strike.) But as of a couple of months ago, it was also clear that overall film production is near 100%. The reason there’s so little work in LA is mostly because of other states’ kickbacks – er, I mean “tax incentives” – to producers. It’s not SAG that’s making producers hesitant to shoot here. Films are being made – they’re just not being made here. There are many completion guarantees signed by SAG for indie (and some majors’) films.
The entire SAG membership, of course, cares about our sister unions and peripheral industry jobs. We don’t take a strike authorization lightly and we’re well aware of what that means – for us, as well as all of you. Still, we can’t allow our own careers and income to be whittled down to nothing. Even those of you who agree that the AMPTP is a bunch of liars and cheats still decry that SAG “take the deal”. But if it were you, looking at the same issues SAG is, can you really say you’d let that happen to your own well-being?
That shoe is now on the other foot for the IA. Their membership sounds up in arms about the “deal” that they’re supposed to sign. Many members will lose their health benefits. Will they “shut up and take the deal”? Time will tell.
And the WGA? If they knew that they’d be getting screwed out of monies agreed-to from their new contract, do you think they’d have signed it?
What the AMPTP really has in “deals” with other unions is/are: AFTRA (a bad deal that even they are ashamed of) and DGA (I have no idea how good or bad their deal is to them).
Not WGA.
Not IATSE.
And certainly not SAG.
It’s no surprise that the natives are now all getting restless, not just The Screen Actor’s Guild.
I would say to you, 2 Cents, to send your pleas to the AMPTP to give SAG (and every other union) a fair – no lies, no stealing, no bullshit – contract. If you already know the information I’ve recounted above and you still think SAG should “take the deal”, then I would take a look in the mirror to see who is being “selfish”. If, on the other hand, you don’t know these tidbits of factual information then you (and others) should take some time to educate yourselves before asking SAG to do something so ridiculously unfair to ourselves.
With respect,
Wake me up when Captain Rosenberg has sunk not only the HMS SAG but the USS HOLLYWOOD with all passengers lost at sea.
So when do people stop the blaming the other side, and start blaming themselves? Oh wait they don’t. It’s always the other guys fault, Admit it your leadership failed because you spent all that energy inner fighting. Instead of dealing with the studios like they should have been.
When do the people stop the blaming?
“I just have one question for all the actor’s out there who are in favor of a strike. What will happen if you do strike and all of television finally goes over to AFTRA and you will make less money then you currently make on the expired SAG contract?
Comment by The Questioner”
I’m not a big fan of reasonable questions going unanswered, as I think it demonstrates thoughtlessness and lack of consideration. For instance, the only answer I can provoke on the question of what happens after a “no” vote to strike authorization is dead silence. So here’s my answer to your reasonable question of a different nature.
1) Respectfully, you’re not correct in your assertion about automatically working for less money under an AFTRA TV contract right now. Oddly, many AFTRA shows are now “SAG terms and conditions.” They pay what SAG would have paid IF we’d accepted the same deal. So for those shows, I (and others) will make chump change -more- on those AFTRA shows with the defacto SAG contract then we would under expired contract “straight SAG” jurisdiction.
Oddly enough, producers pay more for an “AFTRA with SAG terms” show than they do with a SAG show on an expired SAG contract.
2) For those shows that pay crappy straight AFTRA wages, I’ll consider on a case by case basis. Probably, I’ll accept any offers and “eat it.” Because as long as stars accept shows under “straight AFTRA,” shows that might otherwise have been SAG, my hands are bound and my refusal to work them accomplishes nothing but personal poverty. When the choice is “crappy AFTRA” versus “turning down an AFTRA job,” I’ll generally be cranky and accept — since me turning down the job will do absolutely nothing to turn away the rampage of one of my shitty-ass unions in self-serving jurisdiction-grabbing.
3) Presuming you’re correct, and you probably are, that AFTRA will continue to sell out actors in order to power grab for its own self-serving interests, that will give them a greater percentage of “actor work” jurisdiction in the real world. Therefore, if and when there’s a new merger proposal, I would think I’d be more likely to consider voting “yes” when AFTRA’s proportional representation of “actor jobs” they seek in any merged union is closer to what they ask for via control of the new union. If memory serves, on the last merger attempt AFTRA wanted a 50% “share” of power whereas the percentage of actor work it represented was a pathetic-percent bad joke. If AFTRA continues self-serving actor-undercutting jurisdiction grabbing, at least next merger attempt, I would think that AFTRA would be at least moving toward the share of jurisdiction in the real world that they seek via union control in any merged union.
Agree with Bonnie – let us know when Ol’Captain Rosenberg has sunk the ship and all his crew and passengers are left out at sea…..
Please Stop the Madness – there is no support for any such strike!….get with the program and learn a little from the UAW mess.
Atleast the head of AFTRA knows what she is doing and SAG will just let itself sink while AFTRA rises.