Here's the SAG response to the AMPTP diss today.
“The Screen Actors Guild negotiating committee, representing all Screen Actors Guild members across the United States, is working hard to secure a fair deal for actors. We continue to believe that it is possible to complete negotiations and secure a fair deal before the expiration of the current agreement.
“SAG’s negotiating committee has made significant moves in the AMPTP’s direction on a number of proposals. The limited progress the AMPTP referred to in its recent statement is largely because management has not made an equally dedicated effort to achieving progress. Negotiations are about give and take and thus far it has primarily been SAG’s negotiating committee “giving.”
“Nevertheless, Screen Actors Guild is dedicated to the process and is committed to continuing the hard work it has already given the effort to negotiate a contract that best serves the interests of actors given the rapidly evolving entertainment media industry. Despite management’s recent release to the press, the committee is motivated to finding a path to agreement. To do otherwise would do a great disservice to the 127,000 members of Screen Actors Guild whose livelihoods are dependent upon the achievements made in this contract. Management’s time would be better spent by committing to real progress and substantive negotiation of our various proposals.
“It is well known and understood by SAG members that a consistent employer tactic in negotiation is to distract from core issues and attempt to sow dissension. This tactic will not work.
“The Screen Actors Guild national negotiating committee, comprised of representatives from the Hollywood Division, the New York Division and the Regional Branch Division is united in its unanimous commitment to successfully concluding these negotiations. We hope we can count on an equal effort from management.”


““It is well known and understood by SAG members that a consistent employer tactic in negotiation is to distract from core issues and attempt to sow dissension. This tactic will not work.”
what? huh? HAHAHAHAHAHAH. the producers don’t have to do this, they’re just reaping the benefits or OUR actions. we’re doing it to ourselves. sag vs. aftra. sag east vs. sag west. can someone just focus on negotiating us a contract? we suck.
one depressed sag/aftra member
Many of the “pre-strike” movies that were shoved into production this Spring are wrapping this week and obviously in the next week or two. None of us IATSE members have ANYTHING lined up. We assume we’re not going to work until September. We’re hunkering down, not spending money, not traveling, not eating out, and are seriously thinking and constantly talking about moving from LA to Oregon or Vegas or Albuquerque. You think the WGA strike hurt the economy? This second whammy at what should be one of our busiest times could devastate the local economy and change the whole shape of LA. All over PETTY differences. The egos of the SAG leadership and many of its members is astounding. You risk killing off the industry in exchange for mileage allowance? You all drive Prius anyway, so you’re already doing better than many of the F-150 driving grips and teamsters who have to drive from Santa Clarita or Palmdale to downtown Los Angeles to shuttle your pansy asses around.
“You risk killing off the industry in exchange for mileage allowance? You all drive Prius anyway!”
To TylerBurden,
I understand your frustration. You have to stop painting all actors with what is going on right now. We don’t want to strike, we don’t want a war with AFTRA, we don’t want the AMPTP to give us a crap deal because we went last and the ‘town’ is hurting.
We don’t all drive Prius’ and no wants to kill off the town. I wish all the below the line people who have written on here would write Arnold to lobby him to pass some rebates to keep work in California. They are shooting shows in Bogeta, Colmubia that take place in Los Angeles. That hurts ALL of us, crew, actors, writers, directors, craftspeople. Not to mention all the shows in other states, from New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, Lousiana, New York, etc.
Please don’t paint actors with some broad evil brush. Most working actors, stars and struggling actors want to keep making a living, we want a fair deal from producers who made billions last year and we would like our union leaders to behave like adults not fighting children.
Don’t hate the actors; we didn’t start the WGA strike, we didn’t cause it and we walked the lines with them. We would walk with you as well. Direct your anger where it should go, to the AMPTP. They could have avoided the entire WGA strike and given the crap deal they gave writers in october. That before Christmas fake out enraged and saddened all of us. They manage to live with themselves but please don’t label us willing to strike over mileage. It’s flippant and these are serious times. We are not flip about our needs and we are not going to give a strike vote over gas mileage. Go write Arnold and channel your energy where it might do some good.
We are in this together.
Tyler, Tyler, Tyler. Don’t be foolish. SAG wouldn’t be striking if the people you should be hating (AMPTP) would offer a fair deal. You truly think we’re striking over mileage? Your union understands the need for fair compensation. Our pansy asses are a union as well and clearly you have no sense of solidarity. Poor you. Get a new career. I’m sure you can act. Join us. Get a Prius. Stop whining.
Hey, what’s wrong with getting good mileage?
But whatever form of transportation they use, the Allens should get their asses out of anti-AFTRA rallies and get back to bargaining.
This one’s all but done, folks. Stick a fork in it.
why don’t we just all save time, cut and paste all the comments from the WGA strike boards and change WGA to SAG.
Or let’s summarize:
We’ll keep working on non union
We’ll not work ever again
AMPTP members/negoiators are assholes and liars
SAG members/negoiators are assholes and liars
This town will never be the same again, sadly very true
Production will move out of LA, sadly very true
Unions/Guilds are only out for themselves they all hate each other
(guild/union president) doesn’t understand
(amptp/studio president) doesn’t understand
What is true is that the working man/woman is the one who is going to end up with the short end of the stick. The studios, as with the WGA strike can out wait any union/guild, even if they don’t have new product. Development can continue, deals are again shut off or down and when it’s all over they’ll trumpet “we’ve set a new model for the industry.”
What pains me most is the pissing match between AFTRA and SAG.
SAG should just take the deal; it was good enough for the DGA, WGA and AFTRA. Why not good enough for you? Oh wait I know the real answer here.
Another strike will kill the industry and destroy television. But yet you all don’t care, because you keep fighting with AFTRA instead of dealing with the studios.
If there is a strike I blame SAG, for using all their energy fighting against AFTRA, instead of dealing with the studios.
Get off your collective asses and make a damn deal, then try again in three years. You are only hurting yourselves in the end…
Well of COURSE they are. How in the world some morons at AFTRA and SAG allowed them to split is beyond me. Talk about screwing the pooch for your membership.
It’s hard to believe that “management” is not making a dedicated effort considering, that they are in their 3rd or so week of negotiations AND all the other unions that had to re-negotiate their contracts have come to a bargain.
If SAG would pay more attention to their own negotiations instead of AFTRA’s, maybe something could get accomplished.
I just received a pamplet, paid for with my dues money, all about AFTRA…That indicates to me that SAG’s head is elsewhere right now…
Message to SAG…FOCUS….FOCUS…FOCUS…on your OWN negotiations at hand and make a (($*(*#(*(*(#$ deal already to this town can get back to business!
Signed,
Longtime SAG & AFTRA member