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UPDATES Angry NY Division Calls For Emergency SAG National Board Meeting
The Screen Actors Guild today released the following statement on behalf of SAG national president Alan Rosenberg in response to the NY Division’s demands:
“I am shocked and troubled that some members of our New York Board have issued a statement to the press regarding our October 2008 national board directive to send a strike authorization referendum to SAG members. Oddly, a portion of the group that now holds the majority of votes on our national board, and who voted as part of the 97% majority to send this referendum to members, has now reconsidered.
The global economy was failing before the new board voted in October to send this referendum. We are keenly aware of and sensitive to the fact that the economy has further declined since then. When economic times are tough, members rely on their union even more to protect them from management’s tactics. I believe we must be even more vigilant during these challenging times. The solution to the industry’s economic hardship must not be rollbacks that cripple our member’s ability to earn a living.
The national board must take these facts into consideration when deciding whether to exercise the authority we are seeking from the membership to call a strike. Only the newly constituted board that passed the strike authorization motion in October has the authority to call a strike once 75% of the members who vote approve the strike authorization.
The New York board never asked me to call a board meeting, and they did not take the opportunity to do so during our National Executive Committee meeting three days ago. In fact, I have never been notified of their “demands,” as their statement was sent directly to the press, not the Screen Actors Guild. This action encourages and emboldens the AMPTP and seriously harms SAG members throughout the country. Apparently, some of the NY board members’ responsibilities and obligations to SAG members come behind their own political agenda.
I will in fact call an emergency national board meeting, but for the purpose of discussing the ramifications of this extraordinarily destructive and subversive action of the New York Board. The board will be notified of the date and time shortly.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Some Important Dates:
March 18th, 2008: Bear Stearns is bought by JP Morgan for $2 a share.
September 14, 2008: Lehman Brothers goes bankrupt
September 15, 2008: Merril Lynch is purchased by Bank of America
September 15, 2008: AIG is bailed out by the Fed.
September 23, 2008: Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are reorganized
October 1, 2008: Federal Government bails out Wall Street with 700 Billion dollars due to market disaster.
October 19, 2008 National Board of SAG votes 97% to 3% to send out strike authorization vote to membership if mediation fails.
November 22, 2008: Federal mediation between the AMPTP and SAG fails, SAG negotiating committee votes 15 to 2 to send out strike authorization ballot to membership.
DECEMBER 12, 2008: New York Board of Screen Actors Guild announces it has a vagina.
This is insane. Way to embolden the producers to offer an even crappier deal. By not working together, the Guild is helping the producers screw the actors over — just as they did the writers and the laborers.
Stand strong and hold firm. The economy will suck and jobs will be lost whether your strike or not. So, you might as well hold firm for the future.
I normally don’t like unions. But, in this case, the guilds are just asking not to get screwed over, not overdemanding what the employers can’t afford.
There goes SAG East again. This isn’t about strike authorizations or the economy or whatever, it’s about East being pissy that West holds all the negotiating power. East reminds me of the quote about France: it matters to them to matter – that’s all that matters.
There’s always a good reason not to strike, and that reason is always that it’s painful to fight in the present. Strikes are about the future. If SAG is willing to sacrifice its future because it hurts too much to fight right now, then good luck to them. This contract will be signed, the union will become a rubber stamp and that will be that. This is not the end of the US economy. Believe it or not this will not last forever. Besides, if the economy was good does anyone really believe we would be at any different point right now? Nick Counter would be in his office saying “Oh, we’re doing pretty good actually, let’s cave and give the actors that other money they were asking for.” Right. Let me tell you a secret: the AMPTP doesn’t care who they’re negotiating with. They’ll bluster around about how Rosenberg is unworkable, or how they hate Doug Allen, but that’s only because they think they’ll get concessions out of you if they complain (which they will). But the reality is they simply don’t care. Why would they? They’re not looking at people, they’re looking at a spreadsheet of numbers. Changing your lineup won’t change a single number in their spreadsheet, and therefore won’t result in a single change in their negotiating position. You guys think this is personal. It isn’t. “If they liked us more, they would give us what we want.” Wrong. This is business. They want you to look at this in the short term and think The-economy-is-bad-let’s-take-anything-right-now! Because as an organization they’re looking at the next 20 years where they get to screw you. And if you let them be the smart ones, you’ll get what you deserve. Which is nothing.
Wow. Way to present a united front.
One way to handle this would be quietly, behind the scenes, or, you could do it in front of the world and undermine ANY negotiating position we have.
Amateurs.
Let’s just end this, sign whatever shitty contract they offer and move on. Actors are creating drama for the sake of creating drama.
New York: You’re an embarrassment.
If the New Yorkers are so absolutely sure a different negotiating team will bring the AMPTP back to the table, let’s put it this to the AMPTP.
How about if SAG brings a fresh team to the table IF and ONLY IF the AMPTP tears up their “last best final” offer and agrees to start bargaining with SAG again from scratch.
Seems reasonable. After all, a new SAG team would not be bound by any concessions offered by the previous team.
If the current team’s negotiations have “failed” as the AMPTP claims in its release a few days ago, then they should be happy to shred their offer and make a fresh start. How about it Mr. Counter? Start from scratch???
I say if the AMPTP can’t say yes to this, screw the New Yorkers, they have no idea what they’re talking about, and we vote for the strike authorization.
This is business pure and simple. The smart business move for SAG is to apply pressure while the corporations are suffering from the economic downturn. “Entertainment” is one of the only consistent money EARNERS during an economic slump so now is the time for SAG to threaten a strike and if necessary walk out.
It’s unpleasant, but again, it’s business. New Media will be depriving actor’s of an overwhelming majority of their residuals income. That represents a 30 – 40 % loss in real wages over the next three years. The digital age is here now and things wouldn’t be so vitriolic if the AMPTP hadn’t screwed SAG out of DVD earnings over the last twenty years.
Be as angry as you all want, but it’s just business. A Strike Authorization vote is the smart business move. Most of us work other jobs already, so for those of you in the industry who are now working two jobs instead of just one, welcome to the party.
“Working Actor’s” assessment (12:16 p.m.) is correct.
I can’t but wonder if the splintering isn’t a case of the New York Division putting the interests of soap opera actors, who may feel New Media and residuals issues aren’t relevant to them, above those of the SAG membership at large.
I’d recommend holding a vote for the strike authorization asap. Why wait? Town hall meetings are not likely going to sway any votes. If doesn’t pass, try again in Jan/Feb. A strike authorization will provide leverage in negotiations. Once back at the table, offer to meet halfway so we can all focus on growing the pie (at least prevent it from getting smaller – look what is happening to the newspaper industry – shocking). Too many uncertainties and unknowns with the economy, changing technology and consumer habits to be playing chicken.
First, to Helllllooooo! here,
Your business deserves to go down the tubes if you don’t even know the players your business is catering to. Alan Rosenberg is a working actor, has even been working throughout this strike. He’s just not a A-list, headliner, first in the credits kind of an actor. And you know what, that makes him a perfect person to lead the guild, because he is one of what’s called the ‘middle class’ of the guild — those who are hired on shows to do significant roles, but not the positions that can dictate their own terms in the contracts. And hey, isn’t that who the contract is supposed to protect.
As for the rest of you vociferous Rosenberg haters, blaming him for everything, you idjits should be first in line screaming for the strike authorization vote. After all, if you are so sure he’s wrong, that the actors aren’t behind him and that the economy is so bad that everyone needs to kowtow to let the studios eat millions and throw you some crumbs, then the vote will come back a resounding no, and it’ll all be over.
By continuing to rail against the strike authorization vote, you are only prolonging things. Especially those who are so sure Rosenberg doesn’t represent the boots on the street.
But that isn’t the case, is it? You are terrified that he does represent the majority of actors, that he will get his 75% vote, aren’t you? So you want to bully actors into not utilizing their American citizen right to vote on their own futures because you are terrified they won’t vote the way you want them to. Are you terrified that if they vote with Alan, you’ll have to look yourself in the mirror and face why you aren’t standing with labor against those who would indentured them?
I think if the AMPTP isn’t terrified on how SAG membership would vote, they, too, would be advocating a strike authorization vote. Yes, a resounding ‘yes’ vote brings us closer to strike because it gives the negotiating committee the gun to fire, but an overwhelming ‘no’ vote ends it all, and the AMPTP gets the deal they want signed, signed. There is no other negotiations… no getting another team in to negotiate because without a gun to the head, the AMPTP have made it clear, they aren’t negotiating — they aren’t moving off the document presented in June.
So if you idiots aren’t on the AMPTP payroll, then you are even worse fools, because you are doing their dirty work for free… no wonder you don’t care about residuals… you don’t care about being paid at all for what you do.
If Mel Gibson, Holly Hunter or Martin Sheen would pay my living expenses until the contract is signed, I’ll support it. Otherwise, I will be boycotting their, or any other SAG member who votes yes, movies/TV shows forever.
On a related note, at least two of the before-mentioned SAG members are certifiably insane.
Dear UnemployedIATSEmember,
Guess you better stop watching TV… and the Internet…
and DVDs… and… and…
You’re going to have to go back to books. (That’s not such a bad thing)
Screw LA. I’m moving to NY…where, evidently, all of the smart, in-touch with reality people live.
Alan, the first step is admitting you are the problem…
I’m embarrassed to be in the same guild with a bunch of whiny girl scouts who want to bring their barbie dolls to a gun fight. They’ve delayed an authorization vote for a couple months while they cry for leadership concessions. hen every time we delay to give it to them they break down in tears and weep for more delay and more concessions. Clearly, they think they know more than the membership and don’t want the membership to get to vote. There’s already a union for those who want to shoot soap operas, get low wages, advertise product for free and not be concerned with residuals. It’s called AFTRA.
If you don’t want strike authorization, vote against it. But to have film production at a stand-still while you bitches ask for more and more to delay the vote past the Oscars and beyond so that you can masterbate in fear is conduct unbecoming. Let’s stop playing chicken little, take the fucking strike authorization vote as recommended 15-2 and move on from there.
Mheister is right. You think AMPTP will make meaningful concessions and return to the bargaining table in good faith? Even though their dishonest word doesn’t mean anything, you won’t be able to get them to even say that let alone do it. But stop trying to undermine the voting process with these unconscionable delay tactics. Grab your poppers and your cans of crisco, prance around holding hands with AFTRAsh. Work your fucking soap operas for whatever change you want and leave residual negotiation to people who get them and care about them.
New York leadership talks tough only until the time to back up their words with action, then they scurry like cockroaches.
I’m disgusted that what was thought to be a stronghold for entertainment union solidarity and strength has become a collection of punks who would rather mindlessly mouth off AMPTP spin and untruths than allow the membership to vote. Any NY union leader who sacrificed and risked to take on corporate greed must be spinning in his respective grave. Any NY SAG member who understand what solidarity and commitment means shouldn’t stand for their elected representatives balking and delaying rather than trusting their vote on a strike authorization that has now been issued twice. New York pride must be dead, and it’s becoming more obvious as to why. You’re like a bunch of alleged tough guys who commit to a gang fight, but on the day you pull out your purses and start slapping your own gang rather than focus on the common adversary.
I’d vote to cut you fuckers loose if it weren’t for the fact you wouldn’t simply whore out AFTRA-style on us and try to plead for AMPTP mercy by racing to the bottom of the barrel in order to move production to the residual-free coast.
Whether NY SAG membership at large is culpable for the actions of their so called leaders will be demonstrated by whether they put up with this shit and take action so we can move forward with a vote and let the results fall where they may. But talk is cheap especially in New York. That’s been demonstrated by committing to one thing then desperately floundering to do the opposite.
Land of the courageous and respected tough guys who do what it takes to hold the line? I don’t think so. More like land of the flaky creampuffs who cannot even commit to making a decision then sticking to it.
How is the NY branch so sure the AMPTP will come back to the table if they replace the current negotiating team?
And what will they do when the new negotiating team comes back with the same offer they have now after the threat of shutting down the Oscars gets blown?
If they don’t want to vote on the strike authorization they should vote on the current offer and save everyone in Hollywood the time and the headache.
You don’t want to strike? Fine. End it already.
This short-notice “face to face” meeting in LA is designed to disenfranchise the NY and RBD board members who will have great difficulty attending. Despite SAG having recently spent almost half a million dollars on video conferencing equipment, Rosenberg says all board members must attend in person. Of course, the Hollywood MF members can get there easily by car.
All of this is a crass, transparent political maneuver designed to stack the room with MF supporters only.
That will please the hell out of some people.
No matter if anyone agrees with what New York wants to happen, it’s how they did it that screams of insubordination. They’ve done it before – made public statements against the SAG board (which also serves them), only to fan the flames of dissention in a time period that SAG needed desperately to show solidarity. This is shameful.
This obviously isn’t about how the NegCom is handling things. This is a personal attack. If SAG NY had/has a problem with the National Board or NegCom, the proper, mature and professional way to handle that is through inter-office communication, not via the public media.
You NY SAG members should keep this disloyalty in mind when voting. No union should have these kind of people running anything. The end does not justify the means.
I’m pretty exhausted with posting truth about this contract. People still, blindly, think that it’s a “raise”. At this point, you people who think that are either lying (shills) or too lazy to read before you spew your ignorant thoughts here.
So for all of you who think the current offer from the AMPTP is either “fair”, a “raise”, or a “rollback” hear this: the AMPTP owes SAG 60 million dollars and forgiving this debt (and worse, removing force majeure from the contract) is part of their “offer”. Ergo, this is a HUGE concession SAG would have to accept to sign that deal. If any of you think that’s okay to forgive, well, you can suck it. It ain’t your money, so you’re not worried about it, huh?(There’s not a dime of that money earmarked for me either, btw.) It must be paid.
And whoever on the NY SAG board did this public end-around to make Hollywood SAG look bad, you can suck it too, you smarmy, whiny, backstabbing bitches.
New York requires 25 background excluding all stand-ins. We only get 20 excluding one stand-in. New York requires 85 film background excluding all stand-ins. We only get 50. New York has a studio zone with a 300 mile radius. Our radius is only 75. New York gets a night premium. We don’t.
No wonder New York is AMPTPussywhipped and wants to protect their cushy numbers while hanging L.A. background out to dry. No wonder the only difference on an AMPTP press release versus a New York board press release is the signature.
Now elitist New Yorkers, who always think they’re better than us from everything, want to stop us from voting so they can protect their superior terms and SAG minimum numbers while a much greater percentage of our background is taken by non-union?! Bullshit!
Give L.A. the same SAG background terms as New York and I’ll consider following your unsolicited guidance. Give L.A. SAG the same contract as New York SAG and maybe I’ll be more inclined to take you seriously.
Until then, fuck you, New York. I’m not going to let a bunch of New York assholes with superiority complex and a better union contract than we have here tell me how to vote, let alone try to prevent me from voting.
Just for the record:
Alan Rosenberg, David Jolliffe, Connie Francis, Joe Bologna, Lainie Kazan, Elliot Gould, and Valerie Harper and many other MF’ers are New Yorkers.
to DGA writer with a degree. All soap actors work under an AFTRA contractso their feelings about residuals hardly counts in this instance.
And Ace: NY did this because they have routinely been denied any access to the members. Their contributuons to sag magazine is heavily edited. They have been forbidden to mail out to the membership, as the Hollywood Board has done frequently. How else can any segment of a union express its displeasue when the controlling leadership will not allow access to those board members who have a different opinion?
Kathy Joosten
Maybe you should turn your investigative powers to examining how Rosenberg can purport to require in-person attendance for this special meeting when the SAG Constitution clearly provides that videoconference attendance must be allowed for remote members.
If the NY branch of SAG pulls the rug out from under the LA branch, we’ll all know whom to blame when we’re all crushed forever and always under the heavy boot of the AMPTP!
To SAG:
You have screwed up everything. I have been out of work since May directly because of you. I know the AMPTP is not completely innocent in this. They can be greedy and stupid but your actions are absolutely unreasonable. You guys get residuals, health/dental insurance, and more. Thousands of others and myself who work in the industry (f/x, caterers, technicians etc.) get what? You guessed it, nothing. We work hard to provide for ourselves and have to get our own insurance. It is not provided to us and now you want us to support you after you treat us like this? Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do for a living but, I hate always being at the mercy of people like you. Unions simply don’t work anymore. They are run like a mob family. I personally think they should be disbanded. VOTE NO! Get the fuck back to work you fucking idiots! Stop being such selfish assholes! And if you don’t like the benefits that you already have than fuck you and get out! Find another job. Do you really think that the SAG union cares about it’s members? Their actions this year prove that they don’t. People like myself are part of the backbone in this industry and would like to get back to work so we can survive. VOTE NO!
to: special f/x artist in LA @11:44
Caters are teamsters, they get dental, medical & pension benefits. The FX team on my show get benefits, as do the tech, grip & electric…so you must work on NON-UNION shows. Your statement that unions simply don’t work anymore isn’t valid. You think unions should be disbanded, well you obviously don’t belong to one, and HOW’S THAT WORKING OUT FOR YOU.
dear special f/x artist in L.A..
if you are not in a union, you should put forth the effort and
organize, so you and the folks who do the same work you do can
receive the benfeits you deserve.
you deserve health care and pension plans.
actors are not your enemy. greedy, ridiculous corporations are.
actors don’t deserve less. you deserve more.
Kathy Joosten
Well, if, in fact, the NY Board had their number 2 pencils taken away, that is, of course, wrong. However, in repose to your question:
“How else can any segment of a union express its displeasure when the controlling leadership will not allow access to those board members who have a different opinion?”
I can think of two:
The October plenary, where the no-longer-controlled-by-Membership-First-National-Board voted 97% to 3% to authorize federal mediation. If mediation failed they authorized sending out a strike authorization vote.
Mediation failed. It was declared dead by the FEDERAL mediator, not SAG.
Then, the negotiating committee, made up of so called
“hard-liners” (I still fail to see how the reaction to this pig swill of a contract could brand ANY MF member a “hard liner”) AND the “moderates” on the negotiating committee, including Richard Masur, the biggest Membership First hater in the northern hemisphere, voted 15 to 2 to send out a strike authorization to the membership.
I would say THAT’S how the NY Vaginas (think of them as a semi-pro baseball team. They’ll never make it to the bigs cause they can’t hit the curve-ball)could have expressed their displeasure at the appropriate time. Not NOW, in a blatant attempt to overrule THEIR OWN VOTES and the rest of the union and stop the process from going forward.