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I'm told that the ousted National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator for SAG will have his contract paid off:
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:34:05 -0800
To: SAG National Board of Directors and Alternate National Directors
Subject: Message from Doug Allen
I have been informed by SAG counsel that the National Board has terminated my employment as National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of Screen Actors Guild. I am disappointed in the board’s decision, which was made by written assent, and I am proud of my record as SAG’s NED and Chief Negotiator.
I wish Screen Actors Guild and its members success and I have been honored to serve them. I have particularly enjoyed leading the wonderful men and women on the SAG staff and serving with SAG’s National President Alan Rosenberg and National Secretary-Treasurer Connie Stevens.
I have made some wonderful friendships with many SAG elected leaders, members and staff and will cherish those friendships forever.
My best wishes to you all,
Doug Allen
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And the bloodbath begins…
This is a dark day for the idea that artists should be paid for the reuse of their work.
this is sickening. the membership should overthrow these people for what they’ve just done.
Fingers crossed that this will get things moving and bring this sad situation to a swift conclusion.
It’s a shame the membership couldn’t unite behind you to support your negotiating tactics, but… “Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you.”
And now it’s time to roll-roll-roll over!
Finally something, let’s see if we can get this train moving.
I like how I don’t even get a say as a SAG member. Why can’t we just vote on the damn AMPTP offer as it stands?
The traitors on the board that performed this coup d’état have done more damage to our union than they realize. These godless f**ks need to be exposed and strung up…or at least have there membership revoked.
Shame on you for selling us all out.
Now it’s time to be real-real-realistic!
Thank god! Dark day for reuse – please. It is time artists understand that work and production is what has value. I know the weekly salaries for creators, actors, producers….. huge reuse fees on top = obscene.
If you really care about workers and crews then step up an work along side them and stop crying about not having so much reuse welfare. When an actor thanks crews profusely in public (like at you SAG awards) it just rolls off like total BS – no sincerity or care at all; it is easy to say while collecting free checks.
………………. Say what you will…… Doug Allen’s strategy was not working.
Doug Allen should not get another dime from SAG. He has been fired for poor job performance. He has ripped us off long enough. He was not able to negotiate a single contract to any success in the time he has been employed by SAG. The next NED hired should not make $500,000 a year (more than the President of the United States makes a year) to work for a union where most of it’s members don’t make enough to qualify for health insurance. In the present economy we should have our pick of good candidates at a salary that reflects they are working for a union not a corporation. SAG Members should fight paying Doug Allen another cent of our dues money.
Now you so-called “moderates” get to see what this coup d’etat will get you:
A “reasonable” negotiating stance that will get a “reasonable” contract (reasonable being defined by the AMPTP — the same as the hated DGA-ankle-grab deal). As New Media becomes All Media over the next year or so, watch your residuals, coverage, benefits and protections disappear.
Future actors will bitterly disparage you weak sisters who caved without a fight, believing the same lies that were told with home video.
Watch and see how the producers renegotiate terms of the New Media deal in three years. Just watch.
I want to offer my thanks to the people who perpetrated this schism in our efforts to achieve a fair deal from the amptp.
Hi Hell..where’s my handbasket…
Man, it’s going to be horrific here when those brainwashed to blame Allen instead of the AMPTP realize that U4S (United For Suckers) won’t get anything from the studios on crucial issues like force majeure and New (Now) Media.
And yet I predict the shitty contract to pass, thus ensuring the destruction of the middle-class actor and a precedent for further union-busting by the AMPTP.
Those of you applauding this move now will likely come to regret it, if you ever decide to start thinking for yourselves.
I do not know Doug Allen, or any of the board members. Somehow I feel that this is a runaway covered wagon about to careen off a cliff…
Don’t expect a contract folks. And don’t expect to get to vote on anything.
Last one out turn off the lights.
All Doug tried to do was negotiate a decent contract that he was asked and tasked to do by SAG Membership.
They’re paying off his contract?!? He has a year left! That’s $500,000 in dues! And now what they’re,re going to go back to the AMPTP and what, get them to let us retain force mejure, nix the french hours but still no new media and come back to us boasting huge gains!?! that’s what we have in the contract we’re working under now. Then if they ever let us vote, we vote it down and then what do they think they’re going to do? I guess they’ll ask for a strike Authorization vote?
“I like how I don’t even get a say as a SAG member.”
You had a say when you voted on the board.
You do understand how representative democracy works, right?
Justin
All the drama makes perfect sense, I mean we are in a drama guild right?
As a member it feels emasculating just watching it all unfold like some crap-ass soap opera I can’t change the channel on, with the board holding the remote and the AMPTP hocking the suds & duds.
These national bozos better move quick now that they’ve started firing people and reorganizing the players.
And so he’s already out the door, and I don’t blame him – as if he’d want to stick around to fight it. This has to be one of the darkest days in Doug Allen’s career. I’m truly surprised he stuck around this long.
Doug, for all the crap you’ve endured, and for all the difficulties in attempting to represent a group of self-serving, back-stabbing, two-faced whiners, I apologize. I, for one, supported you and your efforts, and at least some (most?) of the SAG membership does as well.
Thank you for your professionalism and courage. Better luck on your next challenges.
In solidarity,
Doug never had a chance. He didn’t really understand the history of the business enough to realize that AFTRA was the main problem. He didn’t go after them aggressively enough so they eventually made it impossible for him to get any leverage in negotiations.
He didn’t fail per se… he just didn’t assess the situation carefully enough in his first year to navigate the situation to SAG’s advantage. Hell, SAG had one NED a few years ago that took a good look at how dysfunctional they were and quit in 11 days. Doug did the best he could given an nearly impossible negotiating environment. I wish him well.
Freddy-
“this is sickening. the membership should overthrow these people for what they’ve just done.”
They just did..
And I get no say whatsoever…WTF?! Fuck Unite for Strength. Send out the crappy contract for me to reject it already.
This is a sad day for the Screen Actors Guild. The annoucer from New York and the Mid-West have now taken over the Guild.
For all of you people out there, this was coup d’état by a group of SAG Board members from New York and the Mid-West who are not screen actors at all. They are a aggressive group of AFTRA announcer who really don’t care about the contract negotiations with the AMPTP, though they have SAG cards. They in fact don’t even work the contract under negotiation. What they care about is taking over control of SAG weakening SAG and merging with AFTRA.
This group will not sign their names because to do so would reveal to the plublic the fact that they are also AFTRA board members and most have never work on a telvision show or movie in their lives.
They will be running SAG and you can thank the UFS slate. Whose members will go down in history as the turncoat Benedict Arnolds that sold out actors and the formerly great Screen Actors Guild.
This goes WAY beyond firing Doug. They put in David White as NED, that scummy lawyer who worked under Bob Pisano, and the man who’s such a relic he thinks downloading is putting your laundry in the bottom dryer at the laundramat, John McGuire as Chief Negotiator (who said he wouldn’t take the job, but now has). Watch them fire half the senior staff and move quickly to try to merge the two unions under AFTRA’s producer-friendly way of doing business.
Only SIX Hollywood Board members signed that letter firing Doug. NY and the Branches did this with just enough help from UFS… The National Board Members from the Hollywood Division who just signed your future away are –
Adam Arkin
Amy Brenneman
Morgan Fairchild
Pamela Reed
Kate Walsh
Ken Howard
Make sure to thank them when you see them on set.
And Alan Rosenberg… Ignore that section of their letter that says you can’t speak for SAG anymore… it’s unconstitutional.
Of course, one of the first things that Membership First did when they took power was (guess)
fire the NED!
Bringing in your own people is standard–and not just in SAG
Are you guys sure this is still a professional Guild? It doesn’t seem like it’s representative of its members nor does it seem like it has anyone even remotely professional helming it. Maybe the studios should only carry AFTRA projects after this point.
Allen’s firing and the dissolution of a valiant negotiating committee can be traced to one event.
Sometime in 2008, television star Amy Brenneman decided to run as the leading name on the electoral slate of Unite-for-Strength. (www.USActorsOnScreen.com)
Brenneman won a plurality of the votes of Hollywood Branch members in September, 2008. Her presence on the slate helped other Unite for Strength candidates win enough votes to secure a majority of so-called “moderates” on our National Board.
The die was cast.
If you have to live with an inferior, insulting, degrading contract for the next three years, and many more, you can thank One Lucky Star.
Did YOU vote for her? There will be another election come September.
Tyrany,
The statement says the following:
“This action has the support of all but one of the National Board members from SAG’S New York and Regional Branch Divisions, and all in the Hollywood Division except those affiliated with the group Membership First”
It’s very clear. Any board member who ran on the UFS slate backed this action, as well as a few who were unaffiliated. The only people who weren’t part of it were Hollywood board Membership First members and one Membership First member in New York. If they all hadn’t backed it, it wouldn’t have constituted a 53% majority and wouldn’t have had any effect. The written assent was a vote, legal under the constitution of SAG. A majority is a majority. Welcome to representative democracy. The board was elected by the membership. It’s like the U.S. Congress, ever heard of them?
This is the same vote that would have happened live, in the boardroom (at a wasted expense of over $100,000 to members for travel expenses) if those who had traveled so far hadn’t been filibustered by the minority and not permitted to vote on this motion, guided by the chair. That’s actually NOT democracy.
Your union was just busted by bitter egomaniacs from NY and the branches who manipulated incoming, inexperienced board members as well as obstructed the leadership and negotiating committee at every turn. They perpetrated from within precisely the same game on SAG that Roberta Reardon did when she promised joint negotiations, then reneged.
Now you will see what it means to truly have weak leadership. And, too late, the membership is about to understand what they did when they voted for members of UFS.
I continue to be amused at how some members can talk about the “sucky deal.” It may not be the best thing out there, but it was struck over (remember the WGA?), and signed by the WGA, by the DGA, by IATSE, etc. Six unions I think have signed it.
At this point, for good or for bad, the only thing to get this town back on track is to sign the damned thing already.
This whole thing has been one long filibuster … let the town get back to work already.
Dave Clennon speaks the truth.
Doug Allen was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The first thing that Membership First did when they took power was to fire the NED – but UFS/NY/RBD gave Doug 4 long months to acknowledge that he no longer represented Membership First. He never did.
Representative Democracy at SAG? You’re kidding, right? The ‘majority’ of National Board Members either haven’t worked in years, or represent areas of the country that do as much business as the actors living in the 12 and 1300 block of Sweetzer. The system is not set up to let the majority rule.
blame fat cats.
This “blame AFTRA” stance is beyond ridiculous. The AMPTP represents people who are in this business for the express purpose of making a profit. That’s their job.
The actor’s job is to decide for themselves whether they are willing to work FOR these employers on the terms the employers provide. Just like any other job out there. If you don’t like the terms, no one is stopping you from getting another job.
Not trying to be exceptionally cynical, just trying to make a point. AFTRA has shown concern for the immediate needs of their membership by insuring the jobs stay here. If the actors don’t want to work under the contract the will keep the work here, that’s their choice. But don’t blame the union for trying to keep the work here. That’s their job.
For those who are saying the “dissenters” are AFTRA members who don’t care about SAG, vote for the merger, but on the condition that members register in one category (or are assigned to a category based on where the majority of their income is earned) and then vote in that category for representation and contracts. That should eliminate the concern about newscasters voting on actors’ issues.
Prepare now.
Study very carefully the contract which was left on the table by the AMPTP.
Observe, very carefully, whatever changes to that contract are made in the next round of negotiations, between the AMPTP and the new U4S/USAN “Task Force,” led by Mr. Allen’s replacement.
Think. Inform yourself and your friends. Debate. In a short time, maybe six weeks, we will be asked to decide the fate of our union. We will be asked to decide our future as professional actors.
Will the next chief negotiator and the U4S/USAN Task Force win a contract that we can live with? Will they win a contract that will guarantee a decent standard of living for the next generation of actors?
If so, I will vote to ratify that contract.
If not — if the contract the U4S/USAN negotiating team sends to us is not significantly better than the contract now on the table, I will fight against its ratification with all the energy I and my family can muster.
Be prepared. Be ready to fight for your life as an actor. Be ready to fight for what you deserve and fight for your very dignity as a human being.
You guys probably shouldn’t be using the word Democracy in this instance. Democracy as it is practiced in America is a political system designed to protect the minority. Majority Rules is not the proper result of Democratic activity. If it was, there would be a whole lot of disenfranchised individuals here who never get a chance.
We do have a lot of other names for what just happened at SAG. You should probably review them in your mind, silently. Then you should remember why SAG hires professional negotiators, not merely lawyers. But, what the hell, perhaps now you’re going to find out how it is “really” done in New York City. And maybe you will be able to understand what a “Union” is.
Dave Clennon…put your sword away. You sound like you are preparing to do everything you can to sabotage any deal that is presented by anyone other than your cohorts. Using your words, doesn’t that make you a “termite”?. You talk like Rush Limbaugh, full of threats and almost praying that these folks will fail…all so you can feel that you know better. These threatening tactics you have employed have FAILED, Dave. No matter what way this situation went as this point, we were all going to lose. There are no winners or losers here. We are all losers for the moment. We aren’t likely to get the retroactive pay. We aren’t likely to get anything but a deal that’s on par with what everyone else got. What we DO have is a chance to regroup, re-think, heal and start again in a more level headed manner. You had your chance and all you did was bludgeon people. It didn’t inspire people. It only divided us. Now back the f*** off with the saber rattling if you REALLY love your union. It has gotten us nowhere and will continue to get us nowhere, especially under the current circumstances.
Heavy the head that wears the crown.
Unless there is some back-room trade-off, whereby UFS has a standing agreement they’ll get something very substantial if they pulled this off, perhaps agreed to by the AMPTP because the long term on a UFS led union looks much easier and less costly for the producers, my guess is UFS will emerge with lipstick on a pig. Why would they give the union more simply because some different faces are asking for more? Why? That’s two weeks, right there. Then, UFS sends out the contract. That’s a month. Then, without substantial improvement, the membership is liable to express their displeasure with the coup and the inability to change the deal to any relevant extent, by voting it down. UFS will then have no choice but to send out an SAV. That’s another month. I’ll stop there.
Meanwhile, we would have known the result of an SAV four days ago, if the national board had allowed it’s own motion to stand. We could be several weeks into voting on essentially the same contract UFS will probably be sending out. Doug Allen would have gone back too and said give us what you can or the membership will vote this down.
By my count, that’s two and a half months of time wasted.
So, someone explain to me, except for political partisan warfare and short term jubilation of one smallish group of people – how is this good for the Screen Actors guild?
The only RBD board member who didn’t sign the written assent represents members in the San Diego Branch. The only New York board member who didn’t sign the written assent stars on the crime show on USA Network. If you’d like to know what board members did sign the written assent, just go to SAG.org, click on board members look at all of the national board members not affiliated with membershipfirst and you’ll have your names. 6 national board members who represent the Hollywood Division signed the written assent. The written assent represented 52.52% of the national board. I would also recommend that, if you are interested, IMDB those board members who signed the written assent. Especially those from the RBD and New York. Now, I’m not an advocate for qualified voting, but I’m certainly an advocate for qualified board service. I don’t believe people who don’t work the contract should have anything to say about setting contract or union policy at a board level.
Well, now I guess UFS/NY/RBD/McGuire will deliver a contract that the membership will ratify. Especially with McGuire at the helm. He’s so dynamic and the AMPTP really shake in their boots when he enters the room. Oh, that’s right, that’s why Allen was fired. He actually did challenge the AMPTP, engage the membership, followed the will of the national board, and didn’t back down when the AMPTP told us to take it or leave it.
The last 41 posts have been brought to you by the real reason that SAG has no unity – the members of SAG. rE
The last 44 posts have been brought to you by the real reason that SAG has no unity: SAG Members – Rebels without a clue.
The hero of SAG, President Barack Obama has asked ALL Americans to give something back and help in this recovery … You actors are not immune to this … GROW A PAIR AND HELP OUT INSTEAD OF BEING THE SELFISH PRICKS YOU HAVE SHOWN YOURSELVES TO BE …
When the WGA had it’s back to the wall and it went to a strike vote, the writers knew that there was strength in unity, so we voted overwhelmingly to walk. Even though we didn’t want to strike, we knew there was strength in unity and to let the AMPTP have it’s way now was to let them own us forever. We got a shitty deal, but at least we made a stand. Leave it to the narcissistic, self absorbed and generally retarded actors to splinter. Way to go guys, you really showed ‘em!! Next time I see an exec at the Grand Havana Room grinning from ear to ear, sucking on a Cohiba and toasting to Tom Hanks and the rest of the traitors, I’ll raise a jaded glass as well. Well done, you idiots.
Because I see comments about the RBD and all those who don’t work the contract in negotiation at this time, I’ll bring up my argument again from two months ago.
Instead of merging SAG and AFTRA, we would better serve the members of each by having ACTORS in SAG and anyone who does not act in films, videos, or on TV in AFTRA. I hope that the definition of an actor is not so muddied that there would be a problem in distinguishing one type from the other. For the few who may fall into both unions, they could be barred from holding board positions, and allowed only to vote as a member just like all the brethern.
First, you really have to be without a clue to think SAG is offered the same deal as the DGA and WGA. The same how? Members of the different UNIONS perform entirely different functions so the parameters of a contract are obviously different.
Simply because the AMPTP put out the idea in a press release that all contracts are the same doesn’t mean you have to believe what you know can’t be true.
Second, why won’t these people who fired Allen sign any press releases, ever. Who are they? I sense it’s Kate Walsh, Ned Vaughn, Amy Breneman and the like.
SAG membership would be well served to understand these people rallied hard to take your vote if you made less than $100K a year, and have now found a different way to get what they want. They want your Vote and they have effectively taken it from you by extinguishing the strike vote and now extinguishing the contract vote.
But when it comes time to vote on your contract, and that time will come, vote no. Because they care nothing about the membership. They just want to make sure there is no hiccup in their way above scale paychecks. And because they are in bed with the AMPTP they don’t care if you want to continue to feed your family and qualify for health insurance. They have and will continue to sell you and your children out for their own advancement.
Doug has class.
Could someone in UFS help out onasinkingship and me with one issue. When I signed the UFS petition last summer I was told that you were all about getting a better deal for us than the MF geeks. Right? I ran into a couple of UFS folks today and they said that David and John were going after big gains in DVD residuals and much better payments on new media.Also, that the no meal break piece of it was a non starter.For some reason onasinkingship does not think that is the case! Then why get rid of the other guys I said. UFS is gonna get us a much better deal! Right?
“The last 41 posts have been brought to you by the real reason that SAG has no unity – the members of SAG. rE”
Got that straight. Now that their shitstorm of taking down the industry with them is over, they can take the remaining negative energy and use it to finish off SAG forever. But don’t worry too much, I’m sure they’ll still find plenty of time to blame anyone but themselves. It’s not us! It’s not our infighting! It’s not our unrelenting rhetoric towards anyone with a dissenting opinion! It’s THE BAD GUYS! WHOEVER THEY ARE! ANYONE WANT TO CHIME IN AND BE OUR BAD GUYS?
Doug Allen was a calm, reasonable and rational voice for SAG in negotiations with the AMPTP. The Board is a mess and they should ALL be thrown out.
Look, how do you negotiate with a body that does not believe in your right to exist? The AMPTP do not acknowledge SAG’s right to exist and especially online.
The choice is very clear to ALL SAG members:
You can vote against a strike and hold on to the old contract and way actors are paid until there is nothing left or
You can take bold action and fight for the right to exist in all online production. Without this fight, SAG will evolve into a diminishing power.
It’s your choice!
AMPTP is reminiscent of the previous white house admin. Where those at the top think a no contest greed based motive is somehow going to win in the end. And especially since it has so far.
So many SAG members are like so many who re elected the greed mongers for that second term. The usual idiot masses.
Noone wants to make sacrifices now, for a better world later.
Getting paid for doing work.
And all you crew should be getting paid residuals as well.
We should all make money for a product that’s generating huge revenue, that we made.
But too many feel the fear, and the greed. “Fuck everyone else, I gotta get mine” attitudes.
And the ones up top put out threats and propaganda hoping they can get us to signing one more time.
Let’s use our intelligence a little early this time guys.
Not let them fuck us for years, until we get “fed up” and realize our mistakes.
Again.
What’s driving you here?
Fear?
Sacrifice is a necessity in the current world to get a better tomorrow, that means strike this shit until we get some of those bastards money at the top who are getting overpaid without kicking it down, its our work.
New media, ticket sales, goddamn coffee mugs, if a buck is made, EVERYONE should get $$ if $$ is being made off something we did.
And again, crews should be supporting us, us them, and all together taking more from what is out of the balance, share holders and producers are overpaid, and the deals keep getting worse for all of us.
No crew should ever belittle their cohorts, and crew should be paid the likes of A list actors if they’re A list in their right, as should producers etc, but noone should be out of the balance.
And that is what this is.
Are you people psychotic? Those of you opposed to this move have every right to your opinion, and to speak out long and loud about it. The fact that most of you with this viewpoint resort to threats, name calling, and insults in your posts speaks volumes about your mind set. You won’t sway anyone towards supporting you by acting like spoiled children who didn’t get the candy they wanted. Grow up. Make your case without lowering yourself like this. It’s unseemly.
KNOW THE FACTS!!!
Ah, Doug, you’ll be missed.
Not by me, but I’m sure somebody’ll miss you.
What SAG did to Doug Allen is a crying shame. If you listen to his critics, you might come to the conclusion that SAG’s current contract situation is all his fault. His critics are incorrect.
Allen could not and did not work alone or in a vacuum. It was and is the responsibility of the members of the guild to become informed, stay updated, and keep our focus on the task at hand – securing the best possible contract, and most certainly rejecting any contract that contains rollbacks. Allen can negotiate like a mofo – and he did – but if he doesn’t have the full backing and support of a unified membership willing to make the hard sacrifice of a labor action to protect rights hard-won over the past seven decades, there’s not a lot he can do.
I wish Doug the best in his future endeavors.
As for SAG, well, U4S ran on delivering a contract that contains full jurisdiction for New Media at any budget level, and on Old/New Media residuals parity. Let’s see what they can do that Doug Allen couldn’t, and let’s see now if they keep their promises. Lamentably, it’s quite likely that they’ll send – with recommendation for approval – a contract out to the members for ratification that has a couple more minor sops than the current gawdawful AMPTP offer, but it won’t have full New Media jurisdiction and comparable residuals.
In other words, I’m on the record right now with a prediction that U4S will not keep its New Media promises. I’d rather eat crow, so Ned, Amy, prove me wrong.
…… and this is where the producers lower your friggin offer SAG…
Unfortunately, big money from CERTAIN stars has gone into this. They don’t want to lose their Malibu homes and don’t care about us. One nominated actress said she doesn’t support the strike ‘BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO GO TO THE ACADEMY AWARDS’ On Facebook there’s actually a ‘fan movement’ toward people AGAINST a strike. Check it out. There’s prominent writers on that who write on tv shows. Remember how we supported them during their strike? This is sad. Makes me mad and more willing to vote for strike.
To “It’s a Democracy-Not”. What is the relevance of the working status of the new board members? Should they not be allowed to run if they aren’t working? Sounds like qualified voting to me. Funny how the ME firsters are complaining about “democracy” now.
Union advocate, You’re not an advocate of qualified voting but you think that if you don’t work the contract you shouldn’t be able to vote. Hmmm. Quite a paradox, don’t you think?
Wackiland make a very strong point. The goal of a union is not only to get the best possible contract for their members but how to build up the industry itself, how to work with the other parts of industry to encourage more work. More employment. More jobs. For an example of what happens when you forget that see the UAW. Worth noting, the UAW gets it now. You can have the world’s best contract but if your membership is unemployed…what have you gained? It’s the new historical position of all unions and guilds. An employed union is a relevant union.
And Dave Clennon. Dave, Dave, Dave. I love the personal melodrama you have going on about this negotiation. “Fight for your very dignity as human being”. It’s gorgeous. But it’s total, complete claptrap. And it’s part of why we have sat on our asses doing nothing for months and why we’ve become a punchline to every other professional guild. The contract we negotiate is not going to define who we are as human beings or take away our dignity. It’s a freakin contract, you idiot! If your human dignity is riding on this you need a therapist.
Watching SAG implode all over the blogosphere is no different and no less unpleasant than a bitter divorce. I’m waiting for the TV movie version of this fiasco – who’s going to line up to play this dysfunctional cast of characters? And, will this movie be shown on network TV or is it more appropriate fodder for Comedy Central?
As a diehard fan of the people in this guild who have a much higher and more visible profile than any other union in this country, please set a good example and engage in productive and reasonable discussions. You are empowering the AMPTP with all of this infighting.
Hey Max — As for “GROWING A PAIR,” you might start by signing your FULL name. COWARD!!!
Yor all a bunch of chumps. THIS DEAL WILL NEVER PASS, PERIOD
All you punks did was ensure that we don’t work for a second summer in a row.
We’re going to miss you, Doug. We’re also going to miss the 500K you’re collecting to sit on your ineffectual ass for a year.
OK for those of you who would strike I say that if you do strike, all residual payments should be suspended during the duration of the strike. Might give you a different perspective on how the rest of us in the industry live. We won’t be receiving income in a strike to survuve so why should you?
Anonymous:
I suggest you re-read my previous post. I said I support qualified BOARD SERVICE. How did you get “but you think that if you don’t work the contract you shouldn’t be able to vote” from that?
Anyway… it’s a well known secret that during negotiations, after a NY board/negot team member, released a press release critical of the Hollywood members of the negotiating team and Doug Allen’s leadership, once back at the AMPTP offices, a prominent member of the AMPTP “jokingly” invited this NY board/negot. team member to sit on “their side” of the table.
This same NY board member plus a RBD member (both who signed the written assent) were seen by many, talking with AMPTP’s Carole Lombardini and Nick Counter at the SAG Awards Jan. 25th.. Since these two board members had previous knowledge of the written assent that evening, it can be easily assumed that they were informing the AMPTP that the task was completed and that SAG was in the AMPTP’s pocket by 12 noon the next day. Hmmmm, interesting.
All I know is as a member for almost 20 years and seeing the way SAG has bent over time and time again relinquishing power and giving into the Hollywood Elite it is disparaging to come to the conclusion that this just isn’t FUN ANYMORE! I used to enjoy this industry and love what I did. Now with all the petty BS, and backstabbing and AFTRA selling us down the river with incredibly complicated rules of SAG with Aftra Rates BS or AFTRA with SAG rates bs… ….and the little guys of Background actor land getting the worst every time, no one can make a decent living! We can now kiss our Residuals goodbye, and know that the only power we have is to HIRE A TEAMSTER TO NEGOTIATE! At least they know how to do THAT! This is pushing everyone to Fi CORE land..and SAG has themselves to thank!
tired and disgusted.
Go find new work where you can make what you make doing what you do. I am sorry it is no FUN for you anymore. Look around you. people are losing there jobs left and right. 9% unemployment in CA. ….. Go have fun on someone else’s dime. Time to go back to work. We can have FUN later.
For the record ……………………….. What power have we relinquished to the “Hollywood Elite”? Talk about what you know or pay attention and learn.
I have known Doug Allen for 20 years on a personal as well business basis. SAG hired him because he was the best person to negiotiate your next contract. The fact that part of your Board moved to remove him tells me your union has serious operating, governance and performance issues currently and in the future. Your negiotiating position is now effectively weakened if not devistated and your ability to achieve your goals in New Media is all but squandered by your own Board infighting and ineptitude.
Stick to acting. Leave the Negotiating to the professionals like Doug. Good luck. You will need it.
I’m going to laugh out loud at all the morons who get hosed when it comes to new media. Any delusions that film is going to hold anything down for SAG as a medium are hilarious. The new Arri D20 and the RED camera are just the tip of the iceberg as to what is in store for the industry. Its all going digital and its all going online. And its going online because thats how people are going after content. TV will soon die and along with it all of the BS. Doug leaving is a good thing though for him, SAG doesn’t deserve him or his integrity.
After all this rhetoric back and forth no one seems to care about what this business fundamentally is about…art. There are fantastic artist in the film industry who can not afford to work as an actor due to the selfish, narrow minded, short-sideness of the majority of SAG. A regular actor coming into this business as a new member of SAG barely has a chance of making pocket change. Majority of long-time members of SAG hardly make enough to even qualify for health insurance let alone afford it once they qualify. Sadly, when it comes down to it, what suffers most is the art of a film actor is being diminished and those in the very union to protect it are too busy with bloody bickering over money. Money that the majority of its membership will never see. The reality of SAG is it’s leadership are has-been actors needing a day job with no clue what the starving actor in Hollywood is really going through. Meanwhile, over inflated production companies are churning out shiny crap called a ‘feature film blockbuster’ that is the opiate of the masses and satisfies no intellectual cravings of the public that may exist. A quality film or TV show, with a unique story and superb acting is being overrun by cookie cutter, predictable dime-store tales being passed off as a production worthy of viewing and television is marching off into the reality show graveyard. Those in position of influence and power in the union as artist are too busy saving their own asses to fess up that even the dues membership percentage breakdown is unfairly set up. They support a union that does the least amount of work possible to ensure that is membership is actually employed as actors.
So go ahead, self-impressed members and leaders of SAG with over-inflated egos, march off the nearest cliff into the abyss as you argue over a contract that will be a moot point once the union fully implodes.
Does anyone feel SAG slipping into history ? Sag governs film and Aftra governs Video ( including HD ), with the advent of our department moving at break neck speed towards the digital medium , we are working now to do away with film …. Forever. Now you know why. Sag has become too expensive with rates, perks, and residuals. That’s what we’ve been told.
Propaganda is good! It confuses the weak. The AMPTP is playing you right now on this site! They love to read your reactions. See… they SEED this blogs to start FIRES! So drop the shit and calm down. Save your fight for the ballot, you all should know how to handle your shit anyway. Everything will work out just fine as long as you keep cool! So be cool
travesty