Comments (7)

• These AFTRA clowns don’t know about video conferencing? Just need a computer, webcam and broadband connection and you’re ready to go. Especially, since this would be an unplanned meeting with only this single item on the agenda–an assumption, I know.

  I’m not in the biz, just a TV viewer who wonders why there are two unions for actors. It isn’t like the UAW only represents workers who are involved with inserting windshields into new cars and that the folks installing the breaks are part of another union.

  Comment by RDW — April 15, 2008 @ 7:27 am  Reply to this post

• Wow, that signature is a bit over the top…

  Comment by O — April 15, 2008 @ 8:41 am  Reply to this post

• I say let the war begin. What’s better, a union that actually represents a member when there’s a question regarding their contract (e.g. not being paid correctly for an acting gig, say what you may about the leadership, but SAG fights for its members) or one that low balls every contract and then doesn’t fight for its members (AFTRA doesn’t do a damn thing to represent its membership)?

  Hmmmm…I think I’d pick SAG every time.

  Comment by J.J. — April 15, 2008 @ 10:38 am  Reply to this post

• This disunity is deadly. You don’t see dissension like this in the AMPTP ranks. Even when the moguls talked to the writers, they didn’t give up anything they weren’t planning to all along… and certainly didn’t budge on the sticking points.

  I think both unions should have ‘votes of confidence’ for their leadership’s current behavior and stances, like they do in the UK for their prime minister. It may be risky but right now the AMPTP can pretend like the majority of the actors don’t follow the leadership. This way, if SAG leadership gets the vote of confidence, then the 1400 wanting qualified voting should shut up until after the negotiation. If they don’t, then actors will have to get their act together pretty quickly. And AFTRA, we’d get to see if they actually think their leadership is doing what they want them to do, instead of acting like spoiled children. If the leadership loses that vote of confidence, then they should be forced to heed that their membership wants unity and a fair deal.

  I don’t know who is right and wrong about the individual complaints, but I can’t believe the membership body of either union is onboard with this schoolyard squabbling when they are facing a tremendous, united foe. Remember, guys, not once did the studios break ranks during the last negotiation, despite the fact that some studios felt the hurt more than others.

  Comment by tired of the stupid disunity — April 15, 2008 @ 11:05 am  Reply to this post

• After a year of SAG beating up AFTRA, suddenly SAG comes along and says, “Okay, I won’t hit you again,” and AFTRA is supposed to trot on back? Why? For the children? Anybody ever see “Sleeping With The Enemy”? Anyone ever been in abusive relationship? The SAG leadership couldn’t lead lemmings to a cliff. Pity they squandered their ammunition on fellow performers instead of the producers. I’m waiting for YouTube to post video of their circular firing squad.

  And believe me Nikki, the Hollywood Firsters ain’t your friends.

  Comment by Theresa — April 15, 2008 @ 11:09 am  Reply to this post

• This stinks of MeFirst publicity stunt all the way. They wanted to get rid of AFTRA and now they did, but they’re crying wolf because they’re afraid they’re going to fall on their faces when Counter starts laughing at them, and they don’t have the experience to actually negotiate a deal.

  Comment by Ballistic over this — April 15, 2008 @ 2:46 pm  Reply to this post

• Ballistic -

  If your goal is to promote disunity within SAG, at least have the decency to start a blog with your real name and a way for others to post on it, then link to it when you post here. If I can do it….

  Anonymous sniping such as yours may be coming from an unhappy actor, or it may be coming from some AMPTP shill who caught on to the idea of trying to foment disunity by slamming “MeFirst” at every turn.

  The bottom line is – and I have no problem repeating myself – if you comment anonymously, you carry no weight. A person’s word is only as good as their reputation. Being anonymous means your posts, frankly, carry all the weight of a chimpanzee’s random tapping of typewriter keys.

  Comment by mheister — April 16, 2008 @ 12:58 am  Reply to this post