'Where The Wild Things Are' Runs $32.4M 
Oscar Can't Always Get What He Wants 
NBC Bright Spot Of Lousy GE 3Q Earnings; 4Q … 
Oops! Vivendi May Delay 20% NBCU Sale? 
65 Nations Vie For Foreign Language Oscar 
Elle's Women In Hollywood Power List 
HOW BIG IS BIG? AEG Predicts Michael Jackson … 
Sane Debt-Reduction Move By Redstone; But … 
EXCLUSIVE: Comcast Wants NBCU Deal Done … 
The final count wasn't close: 78% voting "Yes", to 22% voting "No", with 30% of the 110,000+ SAG members in good standing all casting ballots. 
All the SAG reps in both the TV and Theatrical departments in both LA and NY have been informed they are to attend a meeting to be held by video teleconference tomorrow to review the new agreement and discuss issues of notifying independent producers, new codes, changes in forms, etc. (I'll have an analysis later in a separate post...) Meanwhile, SAG President Alan Rosenberg, who was part of the "Vote No" faction repudiated by the membership in this count, today told reporters waiting for the voting results that he will seek a 3rd term.
Here is the official SAG statement that just went out about the ratification results, followed by the AMPTP's official statement reacting to the vote, AFTRA's reaction, and Membership First's reaction:
SAG Members Overwhelmingly Ratify TV/Theatrical Agreements
Los Angeles, (June 9, 2009) -- Screen Actors Guild announced today that members have voted overwhelmingly to approve its TV/Theatrical contracts by a vote of 78 percent to 22 percent.
The two-year successor agreement covers film and digital television programs, motion pictures and new media productions. The pact becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. June 10, 2009 and expires June 30, 2011.
The contracts provide more than $105 million in wages, increased pension contributions, and other gains and establishes a template for SAG coverage of new media formats.
Approximately 110,000 SAG members received ballots of which 35.26 percent returned them – a return that is above average compared with typical referenda on Screen Actors Guild contracts. Integrity Voting Systems of Everett, WA, provided election services and tonight certified the final vote tally upon completion of the tabulation.
The vote count in the Hollywood Division was 70.70 percent to 29.30 percent in favor. In the New York Division, the vote count was 85.74 percent to 14.26 percent in favor. And in the Regional Branch Division, the vote count was 89.06 percent to 10.94 percent in favor.
Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg said, "The membership has spoken and has decided to work under the terms of this contract that many of us, who have been involved in these negotiations from the beginning, believe to be devastatingly unsatisfactory. Tomorrow morning I will be contacting the elected leadership of the other talent unions with the hope of beginning a series of pre-negotiation summit meetings in preparation for 2011. I call upon all SAG members to begin to ready themselves for the battle ahead,” Rosenberg added.
Screen Actors Guild Interim National Executive Director David White said, “This decisive vote gets our members back to work with immediate pay raises and puts SAG in a strong position for the future. Preparation for the next round of negotiations begins now. Our members can expect more positive changes in the coming months as we organize new work opportunities, repair and reinvigorate our relationships with our sister unions and industry partners, and continue to improve the Guild’s operations.”
Screen Actors Guild Chief Negotiator John McGuire said, "I want to thank the SAG members and staff who dedicated their time to the negotiations process. We emerged with a solid deal that the members have now voted up. The negotiating team worked tirelessly, building on the work of the first negotiating committee, to deliver these improvements to members.”
Screen Actors Guild began talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on April 15, 2008. Guild Chief Negotiator John McGuire, Interim National Executive Director David White, and Deputy National Executive Director for Contracts Ray Rodriguez, working with a 10-person negotiating task force comprised of Screen Actors Guild board members and officers representing the three divisions, reached the tentative agreement on April 16, 2009 after 12 months of periodic negotiations with the motion picture studios and television networks.
For further information on the new contract, including the full text and a summary of the agreement, click here.
---
The AMPTP issued this statement soon after:
The ratification vote by SAG members is good news for the entertainment industry. This concludes a two-year negotiating process that has resulted in agreements with all major Hollywood Guilds and Unions. We look forward to working with SAG members - and with everyone else in our industry -- to emerge from today's significant economic challenges with a strong and growing business.
---
AFTRA stated that President Roberta Reardon applauds SAG's contract ratification:
In a statement released on June 9, Roberta Reardon, National President of AFTRA, praised the announcement by Screen Actors Guild regarding ratification by SAG members of a new two-year successor agreement to the SAG Basic Agreement and SAG Television Agreement saying: “On behalf of the more than 70,000 members of AFTRA, I congratulate the members of Screen Actors Guild on their successful ratification of a new television and theatrical agreement. We’re pleased that SAG members will now enjoy improved wages and working conditions, and we applaud their efforts to negotiate a solid new agreement.”
---
And, on the Membership First website, SAG members said:
"The vote on the SAG TV/Theatrical Contract has demonstrated that 78% of the Membership agrees to creating a residual free/non-union zone in New Media. They also are trusting that AFTRA, the DGA and the WGA will negotiate with SAG in two years. And let’s not forget that included in the deal are Management’s rollbacks like Clip Consent and Force Majeure. So be it. The following is President Rosenberg’s statement:
“The membership has spoken and has decided to work under the terms of this contract that many of us, who have been involved in these negotiations from the beginning, believe to be devastatingly unsatisfactory. Tomorrow morning I will be contacting the elected leadership of the other talent unions with the hope of beginning a series of pre-negotiation summit meetings in preparation for 2011. I call upon all SAG members to begin to ready themselves for the battle ahead.”
Since the “yes” campaign was all about the Contract Term expiring in 2011 “so SAG can unify with the other Unions to fight another day”, Membership First will spend a lot of time and recourses working to make that happen. We will take the SAG Leadership at their word.
Loading ...
And the union dies a slow, painful death.
Now all those BTLers and actors can get back to not working, as they slowly realize the lack of work had nothing to do with the contract.
Morons.
what now all you haters?????hahhhhh….lets get back to work already!!!!
Good to see this settled. Best of luck to all involved.
YES! Finally! WOOT!
We are doomed.
Goodbye Residuals….
Suckers.
“I tried didn’t I, God dammit. At least I did that.”
Maybe all the hair-on-fire vote no folks will now realize that being louder doesn’t guarantee you prevail….your biggest problem is inside your own union and not some outside evil force…
good sense prevailed here. the ousting of alan and allen was a masterstroke that has kept hollywood safe.
On behalf of the much beleaguered town, I thank you actors who voted yes. It was/is a crappy deal. The studios are crooked, evil, selfish, slimy bastards. I hope you all become stars and ream them beyond control.
In the meantime, let’s all get to work!
Even money there will be legal action filed tomorrow to try to block this. It ain’t over yet!
I find that hard to believe. We may need an investigation here of 1) pay offs and 2) the stuffing of ballots.
Okay, so, this being what it is now … let’s get busy new board members! We need a merger with AFTRA asap, new jurisdiction over all the TV shows AFTRA stole from us, and oh yeah, alignment with the other unions so we all negotiate together.
That is what you said, correct?
This result is horrible for anyone who actually makes a LIVING acting, because now there won’t be enough money in it going forward to bother. Watch for the agents in L.A. to start asking for a lot more upfront since we won’t be getting much in the way of residuals. Very telling, though… most people voting must be in this as a hobby. What’s the point of having a freaking Guild if it only represents the needs / wants of amateurs or millionaires?
unbelievable. the beginning of the end.
Wow. 78% voted yes. I am in shock. Just…total…shock. But as luck would have it I had already updated my “regular” resume today to start looking for another job. So my timing was good evidently.
I was able to make a living solely from acting for over 10 years as a middle class actor. That’s officially over. I’m 43 and going back in the work force. Look out world!
You know the studios and producers will take a hit on this as well. They just don’t know it yet. But quality will always win the day and they just made us all part timers. Good luck finding the talent guys! Oh and by the way, we are all aware that you no longer have control over distribution.
Glad its over. Sad to see SAG members that still want to eat their own and each other.
Everyone back in.
Fear? Fatigue?
Voting is the cornerstone of union democracy.
And experience is the best teacher.
Both sides made predictions.
Maybe the experience of the next two years won’t be as bad as I expect it to be.
I hope to GOD that we can all get back to work now. I’m just happy as a clam it passed. Thank you Lord.
Only in Hollywood. It took this long to accomplish nothing.
I hope to GOD that we can all get back to work now. I’m just happy as a clam it passed. My Hail Mary’s paid off last night.
Um…it’s the same deal the other unions have — no need for the apocalyptism. Rosenberg is the george w bush of this town — an underqualified, belligerent, warmongering idiot.
Of course it’s a horrible deal but SAG is in no position to get a better deal with all the factions and in-fighting. They’d never get a strike authorization vote and the AMPTP had no reason to improve it. So what was the option? SAG is to blame for this deal and needs to be run by somebody who has some business sense, not drama queen actors, and I’m an actor saying this.
I am beyond furious right now. I’m glad that it passed, but you morons put the rest of us through this and only one in three of you cared enough to vote. Fuck you all. I hope this deal finishes sag. Losers.
Ha, ha, the studios and the “stars” will be the only ones left who can afford to see movies or subscribe to cable/satellite. Their greed will ultimately drive them to bankruptcy. The class war is coming.
Does this mean we can expect Mulhern to shut the fuck up for 2 years?!
PB,
Good move, you weren’t that good an actor anyway.
Until union members realize that their so-called “unions” are nothing more than “for-profit businesses” owned and operated by their union executives, who look out for themselves and their producer friend’s best interest FIRST, nothing will every change.
Together, hand in hand, the union executives and producers insure that the industry keeps churning cash into their pockets – by any means necessary.
Once again, their “sheep” unquestioningly followed.
The studios are laughing up their sleeves at SAG tonight, just as they had a good bellylaugh last year, when Verrone, Young, and the other Neville Chamberlains who run my guild capitulated so egregiously. What a sad day.
Those who voted yes will sadly learn that they only screwed themselves on all counts. Not only no residuals or product placement protection or control over their image, but no increase in production as well, due to the fact everyone is having a hard time getting financing. The ONLY hope actors (as well as writers, etc) have is that the studios won’t be able to stockpile films and shows to the degree they did in the past in order to weather the next strike. In which case, EVERYONE better be prepared to walk, or the AMPTP will essentially have rendered all the unions totally meaningless. (You think you need a union to do animation in this town? Watch what will happen to film and TV shows once the unions are totally broken.)
The fact is, noone knows what will happen now / or would have happened if… either way. This vote, either way, was stepping into a void and saying: “Okay, now we’ll see how this plays out.” I went back and forth about which way to vote (I DID vote – SHAME on those who didn’t). In the end, I voted my conscience, which was to vote “No”.
I am very surprised that the vote coming out of LA, particularly, was so high to the “Yes”s. I thought that at least here it would be heavily weighted towards “No”s.
I truly believe that the possibility is very very VERY real that residuals will be taken away, that we will be screwed with regards to product placement and conflicts with commercials we’ve just done that could have paid our rent for a few more months, and that we may lose everything to the studios as they all switch to using new media. I feel it is VERY possible that we will lose in the end, as a result of this vote.
I am not normally a praying type, and I don’t mean to be melo-dramatic, but now I can only pray that we have not just sewn the seeds of our own demise.
Okay, instead of any gloating or griping (depending on which side of the fence you were on) can we PLEASE start finding common ground?
Everyone knows the contract wasn’t great. We didn’t get what we wanted because we were DIVIDED. We spent way more time fighting each other than negotiating with the AMPTP and that pretty much killed our clout.
I am BEGGING everyone to come TOGETHER NOW. Let’s put an end to “parties” in SAG and get back to a board that can agree to disagree but have actual DISCUSSIONS and come up with the best solution possible.
In TRUE Solidarity,
Peter Elliott
SAG Member
The union membership has spoken. And believe it or not, I really hope I am wrong that that overwhelming majority is going to regret this vote sooner rather then later. And sadly I don’t think the new media terms are going to be the ones that bite them first. And if the floodgates open and work appears everywhere, I’ll be the first to say I’m sorry I doubted that this was the holdup.
In the meanwhile, take a deep breath, relax for a day or day and then hold the majority to their promises. Good luck mending the rifts in your union. Good luck building fences and strong allegiances with other unions. I even hope my union can man up and be a strong partner for the future (but don’t ever entirely trust them, we don’t). The next round of negotiations are coming quickly and the AMPTP is going to want unions gone more then ever. We all need to get ready. (I may not have a vote in it, see comment above about my union. But I’ll have my ducks in order, my walking shoes ready. And I’ll have your back.)
Thank goodness. I know that this Blog is slanted toward the unions, and that most of the comments would almost always be the ‘vote no’ comments; but it was easy to get lost in those comments. Thank goodness cooler heads prevailed.
what a bunch of buffoons….
I’m proud to be a member of a union with people like Alan Rosenberg, Anne Marie Johnson, Kent McCord, Clancy Brown, and everyone who tirelessly fought for what they believed was best for our union and our membership. There are many names that should be added here including Ed Asner, Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, Scott Wilson, Tom Bower, David Clennon, Rob Schneider, and more and more names–Doug Allen.
If I wasn’t so ugly, I’d kiss you all square on the lips.
well, despite the outcome, there is no use crying over spilled milk. Membership has spoken and despite it not being the best outcome in some opinions, we cannot change it. I think we can try to heal our union, and we have elections to prepare for/look forward to, and hopefully filming is able to pick up and we can all look forward to and prepare for a more offensive negotiation session in 2011.
Nothing is going to come out of negativity. so lets all try to be proactive and productive instead of lamenting on the outcome, so hopefully SAG can build itself back up.
nice article, Nikki. no opinionizing or editorial.
As one who is not an actor, nor affiliated with the union in any way, i do not understand how 78% can pass this and still the nay-saying. does the above poster really believe that within the 78% yes, there is no talent to be found? I believe Clooney, Hanks, and others would disagree, but what do I know?
I hope the best for your union and that it finds a way to mend it’s fractures, internal and out.
thanks, again for keeping us informed, and good luck to SAG. Unions work best when they are unified.
An ACTOR temporarily waiting tables stops in his track. He jubiliantly jumps for joy having just heard the SAG contract is ratified.
ACTOR:
Whoo-hoo!!! Alright, let’s all get back to work now!
CUT TO:
SUPER: “Three Months Later”
Our Actor is busy talking on the phone with his agent.
ACTOR:
Hey, where’s all the work? What? Hollywood can’t compete with the TAX INCENTIVES offered by other states & countries? Huh? And the Banks & Wall street aren’t lending on as many film ventures in this economy?
ACTOR:
Voting yes was supposed to guarantee us more work!
ACTOR:
What’s that? I’m no longer on hold for that guest star spot? WHY? They’ve checked my conflicts and because I have a major beverage commercial running and my character will be product endorsing a competitor I lost the job? WTF?????
ACTOR:
What do you mean I can’t audition for that internet gig??? But it’s a big producer who I’d love to work with. HUH? What? It’s non-union? I thought SAG had jurisdiction on all new media? WTF!!
ACTOR:
So, not as many calls for TV. Oooh yes, that’s right, I forgot. I’m gonna have to join AFTRA if I wanna work in TV. Ok well, bye for now! (PAUSE) What’s that you say? You’re closing your agency? Why? Not enough money coming in on residuals now since AFTRA took over TV? Wow, I’m sorry to hear that.
ACTOR:
Guess this deal wasn’t just about us actors was it?
THE END
SMELLS FISHY to me
I am proud to be one of those members in the 22% bracket.
For the rest of you…wait and feel the pain of the next few years, the other crafts will also feel the pain and loss of the post 60’s agreement.
And those who say we can get back to work now…don’t hold your breath.
P.S. I do find comfort in knowing somebody paid A LOT of money to get these results…78%…ya right.
Congratulations to the AMPTP, Unite for Strength and the New National Majority on the new contract.
Now as I understand the intentions of U4S and the NNM, the next step they would like to accomplish is to build solidarity with the WGA, AFTRA, the DGA I assume, and other unions in anticipation of what may well be an epic contract fight in 2011. Nikki reported above that SAG President Alan Rosenberg has already taken the first steps towards building this solidarity by reaching out to other union leaders.
We also need to organize. As I am not in the thick of the guild’s financials, I don’t know exactly where we stand, but if we’re going to be unified and strong, investing in organizing is key. The sooner we place a fresh and vigorous emphasis on this vital work, the better SAG’s negotiating position will be in 2011.
I’m amused that people think they are now “going back to work.” You’re not. Networks are buying fewer shows, studios are making fewer movies. It has nothing to do with the SAG strike and everything to do with the changing landscape of media.
And we just voted to not have a stake in that changing landscape.
Of course, you can always work on one of Freemantle’s non-union shows.
It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so tragic.
Basically, SAG members just wanted to get back to the possibility of more work opportunities right now. I think the majority of Yes voters know it is a horrible contract and the majority of these YES voters are hoping get a better deal with a united SAG in 2011. A question I would like to ask all the YES voters is, “Did you vote YES because you just wanted to get back to work or did you vote YES because you think this is a fair contract.” I voted YES because I think it dragged on to long and I wanted to get back to work. I think it is a horrible contract. Many of the YES voters I have spoken with feel the same way. SAG and film crew suffered greatly. It took to long. Yes the contract is horrible. Hopefully, are pension and health plan will be devastated by the loss of all those employer contributions. Hopefully, all those SAG actors will see a major decrease in their income through loss of residuals. Hopefully SAG will see this and unite in 2011 and have a effective solution that they can, next time, execute
Can’t believe the number of “back to work” comments, from pathetically uniformed actors. The work never stopped, fools! Last years contract has been used all along, and all the pilots were done AFTRA. We never stopped working – the only exception being a few big budget films, with expensive name actors attached, have been on hold. But the actors (95%) who don’t work big budget films on a regular basis, will soon find out, as someone said above, their lack of work had nothing to do with the contract issues.
5,000 signed vote NO. 1,200 signed vote yes. Vote yes wins 78% to 22%. “Those who cast the ballots decide nothing. Those who count the ballots decide everything.” These results are bogus.
Hey Bills to Pay:
Good luck paying your bills with this contract.
Actors are so fucking stupid. You all screwed yourselves and literally gave EVERYTHING the AMPTP wanted. You call that a negotiation?
I’d say don’t quit your day jobs but you guys don’t work anyway.
This negotiation is over and guess who are the losers.
You losers.
Yo Ro Ro, I’m with you. It’s a bad deal. But I think the ‘Vote No’ people were really out of step with the majority of the electorate on this.
The infighting dragged this thing out at least six months beyond where it needed to go. It made all actors look like a bunch of morons. And a lot of actors are married or partnered with other below the line folks, and they saw how dragging this thing out was affecting everyone’s livelihood.
Not to mention anyone who picked up a newspaper (a dwindling group of people) or read a news aggregator saw that the economy, and especially Southern California’s economy, was headed down the toilet.
Even the GM unions made concessions under the Obama administration’s bankruptcy deal. It was not the year to go on strike folks. Timing is everything.
Merge with AFTRA already, boot the extras, and next time get on the same timetable as the other unions and let the DGA do the talking and the WGA handle the hardball.
Gee, there’s a stunner. SAG devoted untold (literally) resources to selling the “Yes” vote to its members via e-mail, on the web, in the regular mail, and all of it with a drumbeat of fear not matched since the Bush administration, though similar to the Republicans shrieking about terrorists being brought to the U.S. to take jobs as Cub Scout Den Leaders.
It will be interesting to see the response of most in that 78% over the next year they are “rewarded” by the same board members and executives who will proceed to rob them of the right to vote in future elections.
In SAG, as with local, state and the federal government, the problem is not bad leadership as much as it is ignorant and ill-informed voters.
We’re so fucked now. Start thinking of a great new day/night job folks, because this is the end of the road for most actors. The only chances you have to make are if you become producer/actors.
Oh, and all you SAG vested peeps? Unless you’re planning on retiring in the next 5 years, there won’t be any pension money for you to collect.
Thanks to all the assholes who fucked us over royally.
Way to rollover guys, you’re just empowering a terminally ill business model.
You needed another Reagan to stand tall and firm against the bullies….but then, so does the country. Instead, all we have are posers.
I called bullshit earlier and I’m calling it now. Something doesn’t smell right. 77% is an overwhelming majority for a ballot that was this contentious. I know and work with a lot of SAG members, and to the last they were voting no.
Good luck to SAG, you’re now well and truly fucked. And to all the dumbasses who think that they’re going to magically start to get calls from their agents: Let me know how you’re doing six months from now. As a working writer I can tell you; the work that is out there now, is all there is. There is no stockpile of productions waiting in the wings for this contract ratification.
I predicted earlier that the vote would go overwhelmingly in favor, but not because SAG members supported it. I’m telling you, something ain’t right here – 77% is stunningly high for this contract. I’m calling shenannigans.
Either way, SAG is officially dead as of tonight.
Hey “Basically”
- There won’t be a “next time”. If these results are real, which I highly doubt and a law suit should ensue as of tomorrow, we will NEVER get back what assholes just gave away. You cannot make producers go from paying you $700 in residuals down to $24 and back up.
The bottom line is: It’s OVER folks. The Screen Actors Guild as you know it is OVER. 75 years and it’s gone in the blink of an eye. Sure, a new union may form, but that will take time and a hell of a lot more hair pulling. It will take decades for a P&H to build up in that new union. And celebrity stars aren’t going to join – they’ll just hire themselves a good lawyer.
This whole ratification was an assault on the working class actors, which is 95% of the union. We will never see the likes of the protections we had before. It’s G-O-N-E, gone!!
And this, too, is the beginning of the end for all the other unions. Once you break down one, in particular SAG, the rest will crumble in short order. So to all those yelling at SAG as if somehow it was our fault that AFTRA sold us out dirty, as if somehow it was our fault that hedge funds and their failure to thrive was our doing, look out. Tonight you shouldn’t be praying. Tonight you should be getting sloppy drunk and drowning your sorrows in whiskey and get your mourning over now. It is only going to get WAY worse from here on out, unless you have yourselves a back-up financial plan.
Rest in Peace, Screen Actors Guild. I so badly wanted to be one of those who AT LEAST could look back in my 70’s and rest comfortably knowing that I made some kind of a living and a retirement doing what I loved. I was so happy to join the union and even happier that I got into the union working on the glorious “E.R.” – a show in which the likes of George Clooney and others bought beautiful houses from it’s residuals. I will never know even a taste of what actors like himself had as an actor since he and other vied to and succeeded in stealing that away from me. You will be terribly missed, but as I’ve said, I am doing my mourning now.
Tomorrow I guess I need to hit the dusty road and find a new career because myself and other actors just got buried tonight.
At least the tombstones of WGA, AFTRA, DGA, and IATSE will soon follow, so I know we’re not alone.
My guess is over the next few months you’ll see your friends at the AMPTP roll out some of their best ideas for ways exploit New Media in ways only imagined by those who had the sense to vote no.
Can’t talk too much right now. This jump start in production has my phone ringing off the hook.
I have to laugh..the naysayers and moronish NO voters are still screaming absurdities about no work and no residuals (I just got another one today, thank you).
78%!!!!!!!
No Voters–when 4 out of 5 people tell you to sit down, you’re drunk–SIT DOWN!
When 4 out of 5 SAG members tell you you’re wrong–YOU’RE WRONG! SIT THE FUCK DOWN AND SHUT THE FUCK UP!
You were liars about the non-residuals, liars about the record-breaking “new media” (what a joke that is as Fox sells it’s whole new office complex where the supposed “new media” was to be headquartered), and so stupid that while you were arguing over NOTHING, AFTRA was stealing all the Crown Jewels of television! That is the legacy of MF!
Please go away and DIE!
Hey Scott Barry,
4 out of 5 people told me the Iraq War was an awesome idea, too. I said it wasn’t. How’d that gem work out?
Just because the majority of SAG actors are ignorant or just worn down by the infighting, doesn’t mean this won’t be a devastating contract for actors.
We’re done as a union. You’d have to be an idiot to think otherwise.
And when we talk about “work not coming back” we’re speaking to the people who believe having a contract will increase work. It won’t, because the downturn has nothing to do with whether or not there is a contract. There are many other factors at work right now that are killing jobs.
But, nice work with the gloating. Doesn’t make you seem like an asshole at all.
And so, the rich bullies win again – as if they ever doubted it. Way to go, SAG. Way to lay down and take it. I truly hope that you are/were right about this supposed “immediate” work we’re about to get. You’ve given up so much for it…
Let’s also hope you’re right that we’ll be able to renegotiate the contract terms in two years. Will you be willing to fight then, either? I doubt it.
But this is where we are – as a union and as an industry. The dust has settled, or will soon, and we will all know what we’ve allowed to happen and what it cost us.
First – congratulations to the “yes” people and their patrons. I’ll forget about the gratuitous shots form “Chris” and, I’m sure, many others. Gracious winners, all.
I have nothing to offer but stunned – air-gun- to -the- head – of – the – cow surprise. 78%. That’s an ass-whuppin of epic proportions.
I literally had no idea, no sense of how it would go, but I had NO idea the 30% who voted (how incredibly pathetic is that?) voted so overwhelmingly for this contract.
I saw no empirical evidence, because, of course, there wasn’t any. I saw blogs that were leaning, generously 60-40, even 70-30 “no” in the last couple of weeks. I saw very high profile actors come out with passionate videos for the “no” vote, I saw a “yes” push obviously following talking points from a high priced p.r. firm, “let’s get back to work,” “I voted ‘yes’ with pride,” but no meat on the bones of the “yes” argument, and a sort of complete disappearing act of even discussing the new media terms towards the closing couple of weeks, clearly a strategic decision by the p.r. firm that was followed with discipline by all the high profile actors who spoke out for vote “yes.”
To say I’m stunned is an understatement. I’m not gonna say “it’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine,” and the LAST thing I want to talk about is why this was a disastrous contract for the SAG middle class actor. The L.A. town hall was overwhelmingly “no.” The NY town hall I attended, I honestly felt was 60-40% “no” – there was real pushback in that room and I thought Alan Rosenberg had a very good night.
But, unless I hear something plausible that questions this, which seems highly unlikely to me – I’m not a conspiracy guy – MF just got the living shit kicked out of it, and if this is what the membership truly wants, then let’s get out of their way. They won.
All the arguing about it is just noise now.
Big business is king at this point. They played us all like violins and now we’re going to slowly come apart at the seams. It’s nothing new, it’s just sad.
Scott Barry, that’s a ridiculous post.
Good luck everybody, things are going to get worse before they get better. Just try to survive.
Oh,…….I get it……….Jonestown!!!
Once again the AMPTP tactic of stalling, obfuscating, peddling an untenable offer, chest-pounding, stalling, rabble-rousing, obfuscating, stalling, refusing to yield, and stalling has paid dividends.
With all this positive reinforcement, I wonder what tactic they’ll be liable to use in the future?
The right side lost, but by less than last time. WGA voters fucked themselves over by a ratio of 13 to 1, whereas the proportion of SAG voters who ate shit to those who held out for better was only 7 to 2.
Scott Barry, “when 4 out of 5 people tell you to sit down, you’re drunk–SIT DOWN!”
Your friends are right. You need to ease up on the booze. It’s making you a little angry.
Why did only 30% of you selfcentered, obssessed with your faces, celebritycravers VOTED??!!!??
You deserve to loose whatever residuals you were supposed to take in the future.
It was an easy YES or NO question.
You moronic lazy brutes.
Scott Barry,
You’ll see what all the fuss was about as you clearly missed the boat. In the meantime, feel free to save those residuals as you won’t be getting them for long. Obviously, you don’t seem to understand why. Then maybe you should try reading the CONTRACT dumbass.
Even people who voted yes recognize how shitty a deal this is. And yes, you’re a dumbass who shouldn’t ever quit your day job… ever.
Wow!!! What a relief!! Now I can concentrate 100% on my restaurant gig and sleep like a baby at night knowing, as we used to say in the old neighborhood, that I did the right thing.
They should publish all the names of all the actors who voted “yes”. I’ve got my ball bat in my car…
So, basically, SAG members have endured a loss of $85 million in earnings in order to get the same contract that was available in June of 2008.
Gee, why does this remind me so much of the 2000 Commercials strike?
Sally, Tom, let’s go for it now. Two years is not a long time.
Be the spearhead of this charge to 2011. Get out front and show us
how to do this. Bring us all together. Sunset Provision. We need more videos from the two of you. Thank you for looking out for us actors.
Just goes to show that the noise makers here are just rabble. The people who actually work for a living in the industry voted with common sense.
Only 35.26% of a 110,000 member union vote? So the roughly 30,250 members of your union who voted “Yes” rolled the other 79,750 members.
If it wasn’t funny, it’d be a little sad. Your union is pathetic. You should probably de-certify and save dues money. You’re actions, or lack thereof, prove you are nothing more than a social club.
Signed,
A Real Union Member, But Not A Crappy Hollywood One
Astonishing. SAG has excellent security around its balloting, and members from both sides of the political aisle oversee the count, yet some whiners are actually crying “foul.” As usual, they don’t get it: just because some members make a lot of noise, get righteously but mis-guidedly fired up, and go all Waiting For Lefty, doesn’t mean that they come close to representing to will of the entire guild.
5000 people signing an online No petition and 1200 signing a YES petition has nothing to do with representing a sample of actual SAG voters around the country. Read about math, statistics, and polling.
Crying foul over this vote further demonstrates the fantasy world some members sadly cling to. It’s the same fantasy world that thought SAG leadership should attack and belittle AFTRA until AFTRA walked away from joint bargaining, the same fantasy world that spent over a hundred grand of much-needed SAG money to try to defeat the AFTRA contract, the same fantasy world that’s responsible for SAG’s not having an agency deal, the same fantasy world that killed the last SAG-AFTRA merger by fear-mongering. And they STILL think they’re right!
MF has failed to grasp and speak for the interests of actors who actually put food on their table through SAG work. Their paradigm of unionism is lost somewhere in the 1940s.
I say let the doubters personally go in and count every ballot themselves and then go away and work on their next conspiracy theory.
OK, You’ve had your say, now get back to work.
A FRIGGIN LANSLIDE…NO GROUND TO STAND ON MFers…GIVE IT UP…
The rank and file (especially in Hollywood) decided to ignore you and vote quietly because they didn’t buy your bullshit. They didn’t buy it. You were telling lies and they saw through it. So they didn’t bother to blog. They waited for the ballot and voted. And in a big way. What was it 36%? I’d like the Guild to have a better turnout, but it’s the best it’s been in years.
READ ‘EM AND WEEP.
Pauly
This site’s posters owe alot of A listers an apology especially Clooney.
‘Atta boy, Mars, you selfish prick…way to throw your brethren under the bus…
Does this mean we don’t get to watch any more Ed Asner videos?
I’ve worked in this industry for 15 years in which I get a yearly salary and sometimes a bonus. I work hard putting contracts together so that films get financed and distributed, and the companies that I have worked for make billions, but I don’t get future residuals for my work. At most, I get a matching percentage for my 401k, vacation and health coverage. Now, I’m not against SAG, DGA or WGA getting residuals, but on the other hand, why should the unions get residuals to begin with when the rest of the world doesn’t residuals for their work? I realize that the studios are slimy bastards, cheap skates and full of shit, but I don’t really believe that they should necessarily be obligated to pay residuals. And let’s face it, the Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts & Brad Pitts of the world make a crap load of money off the back-end. Oh, right, residuals helps keep the unions P&H plans flush with money.
SAG, please for the love of God, PLEASE learn from your mistakes and join forces with WGA, DGA and AFTRA when negotiating with AMPTP in 2011. Otherwise this horrible ordeal will just be repeated.
I can only say I’m very saddened but not surprised by this outcome. Now we wait for the other shoe to drop – reality.
The giving away of SAG continues..
Bye, residuals.
You all were warned. I guess you just didn’t like making a living as an actor.
You will come to regret this contract. Mark my words.
Sigh.
I’m one of those middle class actors who will suffer for this. That 22% who voted ‘no’ because I saw that this will effectively destroy any sustainable existence in this industry unless you’re one of the lucky few on a series or the tens who are movie stars.
I get that every actor believes in themselves to the point that we all picture ourselves holding the Oscar© on stage someday. We’re all immensely talented and we just need to get all these pretenders out of our way for the world to see that. We’re all playing the lottery and hope to get that one in a million ticket to fame and fortune.
But I’m one of those guys with the wife and the kids who’s dream had changed. All I wanted to do was make enough money doing what I loved to support my family. The glory and the fame are fine, but I was okay supporting others on their way up or down as long as my kids had a roof over their head. Simple requests: health insurance, residuals, adequate pay.
As I said, either way, we were screwed. I voted no because I wanted to stand up against what I believe was right, rather than this forced retreat of a contract we’ve ratified. I’ll still go to battle for the jobs (I did today), but now I know that I’m fighting the losing battle.
Good luck to us all.
Mike
libby …
you’re not lending your name and likeness for use by other companies in perpetuity in your line of work.
I’m in the hardline MF camp, and I agree with Stephen Collins that the integrity of the ballot count is sound. I thought it was just as ridiculous of U4Sers to make such a stink over the polling of the membership as it is for people to be crying foul now. The union may be a lot of things, but dishonest ballot/poll counters it is not.
Only 30% out of 110,000 voted??
Really???
Guess the rest didn’t care enough
Hey Funny Farm,
Did you ever earn a living from acting? My guess is no. You’re a waiter, huh? Bartender? Gotta be part timer to have voted for this thing.
Well, my hope is that you succeed my friend. And then you will know for a fact that you can’t make a living. Good luck, asshole.
To: Stephen Collins
You’re wrong about both sides of the political aisle overseeing the count.
This is not a Tltle 4 (election) referendum.
Therefor there was NO “overseeing”.
The ballots were sent to IVS in Washington state.
There was a running count done.
No one from the Guild oversaw anything.
Ben
This was the only way to vote. SAG screwed itself by turning on itself. There was no strike authorization to go with a “no” vote and half measures accomplished nothing. Let’s hope that the union can get it’s s**t together by the next vote and not be a bunch of hysterical drama queens in the next negotiation. Strategy, it’s not just a word at the spelling bee.
Whatever. Now it’s time to go over the heads of SAG, AMPTP,ATA, NLRB,AFofL,CIO,4A’s; and all those other alphabet crooks; to seek redress from Justice Department, Anti-Trust Division, other branches of Government, to break up monopolies, collusion, price fixing, restraint of trade, and other predatory practices foisted upon unions, organized labor and the working class. It’s rampant. Time for a house cleaning. We’ve already begun to fight, and actually getting some traction. There’s got to be one honest man or woman out there.
The fact that only 30% of the eligible membership voted is rather indicative of just how out of touch the leadership (both sides) is with the rank and file members. Either the importance of this vote was not conveyed to the members, or they were thoroughly turned off by the asinine politics. SAG needs real leaders to emerge; not these children who let ego get in the way of the big picture. The AMPTP sat back with big grins and watched with glee as the two factions inside SAG feasted on each other.
First: the deal did suck more than a bit. Sorry.
Second: So glad to see that a guild that has 80%+ members not working will not dictate the workflow for the rest of us.
Third: Not the end. Get independent and get ownership on your own.
SAG: get your membership employed and then get a say in what happens. Until then, self-distribute, self-own and wait for the studios to go through what the music industry is now swallowing.
Maybe is it time and technology that is eating up the unions, Maybe there is more opportunity here to vastly outweigh corporate maneuvering. Maybe we can be smarter, faster and a damn sure more creative than they can be.
The majority vote = the right vote.
Really?
Read history much?
If 70% of your friends decided to jump off a cliff, would you say that that was a wise move simply because 70% of them said it was?
I bet you smoke. Which is fucking weak.
Let’s see if you are making as much noise a year from now you f-ing weaklings.
Oh, I am sorry, are you on a series? Well don’t let your conscience bother you too much.
30% vote with 70% out of work. The most USELESS guild/union ever! The Dramatic Chipmunk made more impact than all those pretentious “no” videos.
“I’ll get back to you”.
The odd thing is the AMPTP spoke candidly to the NY Times about ending residuals in this rtound of contract negotiations in that now-famous article from July 12, 2007.
It’s not so much that the membership ate it up and voted yes. It’s that some of you continue to believe you haven’t given that up when all the facts were handed to you 2 years ago by the AMPTP.
It’s one thing to give in and say “it’s the best we’re gonna do with all the other unions voting yes.” It’s another to believe this isn’t the end of residuals when the AMPTP looked you in the face and told you this contract will end residuals.
Say what you will. But understand your opponent– not MF or Rosenberg, but the AMPTP–looked you in the eye, told you they would eliminate your residuals, and 80% of you gave in. You gave in. You need to own that. We may have won the battle, but we’ve lost the war–we’ve lost it all.
Never leave it to SAG to stand for something. You actors are so eager to please that you doomed us all. Have fun advertising stuff for free.
PB,
Are you still here? I thought you left. Poor thing, you just can’t give up the “dream” can you. It’s ok, most of your MF buddies suffer from the same delusions so you’re not alone.
Now as far as your last missive goes let me just say this; my dues this year alone could pay for your room, your board and your subscription to “Background Players Digest”" for the next 18 months.
The spirit of 75 years of hard work, dedication and good will created and sustained this Hollywood Union
- to protect our fellow actors from exploitation, abuse and harm
- to ensure fair compensation for their work and talent and give them some security and dignity in their old age.
This commendable spirit of our Guild forefathers has been wounded and trampled upon.
To those who call themselves “United for Strength”, those who supported and/or
orchestrated their deceitful goal, whether out of naïveté, arrogance or ill intent, I say, there is no amount of denial, propaganda or expensive P.R. that can erase the dark stain of shame branded on your heart. It will shrivel and ache in your chest every time you look in the eyes of your fellow actors.
There are no sunglasses or shadows dark enough to hide your shameful betrayal – no amount of lies or pretense that will save you from knowing that you have worked against the welfare of those actors who put their trust in you.
All the aged actors who live to make ends meet with those small residuals and the future generation of supporting actors who will not earn the minimum for the
safety of a pension and health insurance will witness the means for their existence discounted.
You will be remembered by all the generations of past and future talent, whose unfortunate demise you have authored.
Though you will do your best to forget them.
AUM Shanti.
Sincerely,
France Nuyen
SAG may not know how it’s members vote, but it knows which of it’s members vote. It also knows which members have a 0% likelihood of returning their ballots. It is my contention that the current regime stuffed the ballot with enough of those 0% to get the 78% margin, OR that SAG is so full of non-actors to render the vote of the actual actors meaningless. In two years I’ve discussed this matter with EVERY actor I’ve been able to, and over 90% said they were voting NO. There is no way that so many actors beleived in vote NO and then went home and voted yes. These results are bogus. This is no time for secrecy. Too much is at stake. Let the name of every voter who turned in their ballot be released, so we can see who these people are, to make sure they are all viable.
My response to Libby and the question of residuals.
“Now, why should the unions get residuals to begin with when the rest of the world doesn’t residuals for their work? ”
It’s taken decades for musicians to get a bill sponsored so that every time you Libby download a song or hear it played over the airwaves they get a royalty check instead of it going to the music publishers/songwriters. Who wrote your favorite song?
Novelists, may get an advance, but once that advance is spent (5k) they have to pay the publisher back that money (residuals) before they get a percentage of the book they wrote.
Writers, for the screen get a check, perhaps not a million dollar check ala the Friends writers, but if the show is successful in syndication etc, they get a few pennies which might make a dollar.
Residuals pay people the money they are entitled to for making billionaires out of producers, publishers etc who lack the talent, the skills, the will and the power to create anything.
Actors are entitled to the residuals because they alone interpret the words and bring human emotion to the alphabet. Most actors will work another job and go to rehearsals for weeks to do community theater. WAKE UP as Spike Lee wrote or continue to serve your masters ( the studios, producers) wine and cheese and other things every night, every Oscar party or Golden Globe afterglow.
Residuals Now, Residuals forever, SAG sucks if they can devour their very own existence.
Libby,
I too labored hard over contracts for years but Anonymous is right. No one is exploiting our names, voices and/or likenesses for eternity on any media. For better or worse we go down in anonymity, our names buried in dusty legal files somewhere or, mercifully, extinguished so we don’t have to take responsibility for what we have done.
You should maybe look up for a moment from those contracts and consider the basic function of a contract – that it governs something. It is not an entity in itself, though it may seem so to you, buried in your lawyer’s security. Out there are real people carrying on an art form and a business, 2 elements constantly in tension. No one is served well by a contract that is overbearingly weighted in favor of one side, as often happens when art collides with money and money wins out.
SAG has just lost 75 years of hard-fought-for gains on behalf of the vast majority of their membership. Residuals were the means by which this huge pool of diverse and professional talent survived to grace our screens and earn the billions that pour into our industry. All told, the AMPTP companies could have easily paid every one of the SAG demands and still made healthy profits.
Now we will have to wait and see if Hollywood survives the loss of its talent pool as an era of being able to just make a living comes to an end and – yes – that P&H fund that provided stunt men with medical services when they injured themselves making a star look like a hero, that pension or small residual that allowed a small measure of dignity to a great talent in old age, all that will be gone. You may not have a job when it all disappears.
We are all dependant on each other. Remember this when you put your nose back in those contracts.
Congratulations to all my SAG brothers and sisters who know about taking the deal. We will live to fight another day. And now I can delete this ridiculous blog site from my bookmarks and all you fucking no-talent assholes who love to hear yourselves blow on about a business you don’t know anything about can go back to your day jobs. Let’s move along shall we!
Not with a bang, but a whimper. (STAGE BELL RINGS) “We’re back”.
I’m not buying it.
I know literally thousands of actors from across the country, but I work out of Los Angeles. I am not a member of either politcal party, and I wasn’t campaigning. I don’t know the people who signed petitions as my SAG actor friends are the not the “signing” type. 90% of the actors I talked to said they were voting NO. But I also realize that the YES votes were probably embarrassed to say anything out loud.
I wasn’t sure which way this vote would go, but I thought it would be close.
I am sitting here with my eyes bulging and my mouth hanging open. REALLY? 22% is about equal to all the actors I talked to. Are you really telling me that JUST my friends voted? Are you telling me that the Hollywood Division was that strongly for this contract?
Are you telling me that the membership meetings were THAT completely OFF? The ones in LA and NY were heavy on the NO votes. It just doesn’t float.
If all this is true, our governmental system is way off base. Our board (who was closer to 50/50 on this contract) is not representative of the whole. The open membership meetings are pointless too. Is democracy messed up, or is it just this one little election?
Of course, if we are going to rig voting, I guess we should just make sure it is a landslide so nobody orders a recount.
My eyes are now focussed, my mouth closed, and I am holding my nose. This smells like a scam.
To all the “actors” saying SAG is dead,
Turn in your cards. Rip em’ up! Start your own union, or better yet, only work non-union gigs. Let’s see where that gets you.
Best of luck.
Up next, The Thinning of The Herd Through Financial Anemia!
(There are too many creatives in this town anyway).
Stick around! You won’t want to miss it!
One more thing,
To everyone who voted “yes”,
Fuck You for giving away my control over my own image.
I hope the ghosts of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, James Dean, and Paul Newman destroy your ability to sleep at night.
That right wasn’t yours to give.
deal with it … funny, 78% voted yes and you still feel cheated … grow up and act like adults, not spoiled little actors
I hope this spells the end of SAG and a return to a time when even hotels wouldn’t rent rooms to actors. I’m tired to these shmucks thinking their more important than any other guild.
You people are amazingly lame! You, yes you. My mother worked her ass off at some shitty manufacturing plant for years with out the benefit of a union to protect her or her interests. She, unlike you, worked with heavy machinery, chemicals and real work hazards. I can list 10-15 guys that I FORMERLY worked with that have been laid off and are in deep financial trouble because of you dipshits and your dreams of becoming stars. You and your industry produces an end product that pollutes and contributes nothing tangible to our society. You pretend for a living! 99% of what you do falls into the trash bin of the human narrative and is quickly forgotten. Wow! I feel better. Anyway, thanks for holding all of Southern California hostage for a year. See you at craft services! Wait…was that in the contract? Are we still getting gourmet breakfast burritos? Oh, the Humanity!!!! Assholes!
SAG’s job now is to merge with AFTRA. 66 of 70 pilots this year went AFTRA, because the world is going digital, folks, and there’s no stopping that. Many producers who had a choice chose AFTRA because they didn’t want to be subject to the craziness that has been SAG’s hallmark for the past five years. The only hope for our P & H plans now is merger. The plans will not be properly funded from SAG work with so much TV work going AFTRA. Merger. Heal our differences. That should be job 1 on all our minds.
Lemmings all!
To Justine Bateman – your comparisons to icons such as Presley, Sinatra, Dean and Newman are ludicrous. Fuck you for supporting a failed and bungled negotiation that cost me, and thousands of others in this town, untold dollars in revenue while. I pay dues and I work in the business and SAG is my union, too. I will vote any way I choose. You gotta a lot of nerve! Fuck your ‘image,’ or what’s left of it!
“The AMPTP issued this statement soon after:
The ratification vote by SAG members is good news for the entertainment industry.”
really? the AMPTP likes this?
like lambs to the slaughter.
Hey Funny Farm. I’d take that bet in a second. I know for a fact that I’ve made more money than you. And I know I’ve worked longer in this business than you. Wanna know how I know? Because if you’d made all that money you wouldn’t have voted the way you did. Are you stupid or are you just being dishonest? Because I would imagine that most of that money came from residuals. Well, you just voted to do away with residuals asshole. So good luck with that. And keep on gloating. All of you that voted yes. Keep gloating, please. You’ve got the best deck chair on the deck of Titanic. You win!
although i am very happy that this has passed and i have been saying for sometime that managers and agents really should step up and help the unions so they can have some sort of organization (actors come to us for all the other things in their careers)
one thing that was mentioned above was the musicians and getting paid when you hear it on the radio….that is a bill that is just now going to the House….and probably won’t get voted on until Oct. so….when you hear your fave singer on the radio singing your fave song…..they are not getting paid yet….never have….(unless they also wrote the song…then they get publishing)…. musicians are still fighting for this and we had to take it to congress to help us out….
actors…..be happy that this mess is over and spend the next couple of years getting your heads out of asses – stop complaining….and actually be pro-active in this…..
and truly…think about bringing in managers and agents to help run your union if you really want it to work…..(we don’t need to vote…) but we can certainly get you sorted out….
Is everyone still having those MPTF deductions automatically deducted from their paychecks? Remember MPTF is being systematically dismantled the as we look the other way. Thanks for the help guys’n'gals!
Might be time to look into legal means to make demanding the perpetual right to your image, voice, etc without consent or compensation a condition of employment illegal.
You’re really going to want that protection soon.
If lawsuits don’t work, perhaps your Californian initiative system could be good for something…
I would like to thank all the SAG members (and the AMPTP) for the concern they have expressed for dragging the rest of Hollywood down with them. Your concerns for those other than yourselves and your acknowledgment that you have wasted our time and money for very little return is touching. Your apologies are accepted. Thank you all for living down to the stereotypes that you have justly earned.
Elect heavyweights! Stop Merger! Grow Balls! Enforce Agency Regulations! Seek redress for Anti-trust violations! Insinuate ourselves as owner/partners in what we do while we still have Independent Production Contracts, that we promulgate ourselves!
Stephen Collins
(totally lame pig latin)
ipsnay with the dancing on the grave-say.
I think it is in your best interest to be gracious. I was. And I’ve been one of the main Mr. No’s.
You won. And you’ve immediately “gone there.” Wrong move stephen. careful how you speak to a lot of really, really, pissed off people who just had their hopes and dreams of retaining their ability to maybe be one of the 5% of SAG that makes 75k a year or more, crushed. their ability to make a living, crushed. you’ve, I assume, got the bucks to ride this deal, if it sucks HALF as bad as the “no” people predicted, right into retirement, 99% of the union doesn’t. so, I’d be careful LEADING the “you idiots!” parade. you might want to hang back a little, see what transpires first. a little free advice, take it or leave it.
I knew your ego was bruised when i read your post a couple months back decrying the fact that a major character from a movie was named “Stephen Collins” and you guessed that meant the producers didn’t think your name was recognizable enough and therefore you weren’t a star.
Well, guess what – you’re not. You’re a “name” actor who’s had a pretty good run. good for you, in all seriousness. Star? Please.
As to immediately dancing a jig? Chill out man. the repercussions of this vote are JUST beginning – in terms of the fact that as I write this, actors now are subject to a contract that effectively:
1. phases out residuals (already happening due to move-over)
2. gave away clip consent
3. ends product placement protections
4. ends collective bargaining on force majeure
5. opens a potentially huge nonunion space in our own contract that alan rosenberg was TOLD by peter chernin would be used to experiment in making a LOT of product, with nonunion actors, writers, directors, and if one of those projects (100 to 1 shot?) gets picked up by a network and recast with pro’s? – it will be considered as having originated in new media and therefore be subject to only the new media provisions of this contract, in perpetuity.
see, I’ve ALREADY had an experience with move-over where I lost 2/3rds of my normal take from that type of gig (top-of-show, episodic) because it went straight to hulu – no reruns. so, what exactly are you crowing abou? you DO understand that all the things listed above are now actually, in effect, right? you do understand that, yes? so, please explain to me, what is good for the sag middle-class actor – hell ANY actor – about THAT?
And of course – merger. another long, expensive, arduous, over-my-dead-body process that I’m sure the merger zombies will introduce into official discussion the next chance they get.
and it will be the same exact argument, with the same exact sides: a “merged union” of three silo’s: broadcasters, actors and recording artists, overseen by an “umbrella board” with sag’s ability of self governance subject to way too much “we’ll see after we merge , let’s just do it” type answers. merger heads think it will give us “leverage” with producers, to merge with a union that has been selling actors cheap to fill their waning coffers for decades, a union (AFTRA) that applied for an ERISA (the federal agency that oversees the solvency of pension plans and will liquidate them if, at a certain point the plan cannot conform to certain solvency standards) – AFTRA applied for a 25 YEAR EXTENSION to get their books right. ERISA turned them down and I believe gave them 5.
and, of course, that biggest flaw in the “two unions creates a race to the bottom” story – show me ONE time SAG raced to the bottom. ONE.
that means you’d have to be willing to strike, let’s say, just for giggles, in 2014, after it’s become clear actors incomes have dropped like a stone, they’ve lost 1/2 their normal yearly take – nonunion actors are all over LA and NY like red ants, lining up like lemmings for $100-$200 a day jobs with no workplace protections, of course, no P&H, no residuals, etc.
how long before this nonunion space produces a serious injury or death, or series of deaths due to the complete lack of union oversight?
think that’s an overreaction? I’ve worked on SAG shoots, with union oversight RIGHT THERE, fire marshalls RIGHT there, weapons experts RIGHT THERE – and SEEN people seriously hurt even WITH SAG oversight.
merging will not solve THAT problem, stephen.
do you think the trustee who said, under penalty of law if he misrepresented the truth, that a merger would “cause a subsidizing of AFTRA’s P&H plan, by SAG’s?” you comfortable with your (I assume) maxed out pension dropping, say ten grand a year to facilitate that? maybe you’ve got a big fat AFTRA pension as well, good for you, again, in all seriousness, but do you think folks without your name recognition will be willing to give up part of their SAG benefits to float AFTRA’s boat? and, please, if you disagree, take it up with the trustee, not me, he’s the financial expert, not me. you can look it up and find the memo and find his name easily enough.
my call is that, unless there was massive fraud, which I have virtually no doubt did NOT happen, the vast majority of SAG members who voted just said “PUNT!!!!” and figure if it sucks half as hard as the “no” people have predicted, we’ll deal with it in 2011.
Of course, the trouble with that is, unless we strike in 2011, that’s not really an option, because the sunset clause has no force of law, meaning the likelihood the AMPTP will change ANYTHING in new media is practically nil, given their track record (VHS/DVD, cable) and the union solidarity thing is… jesus, ridiculous. the dga, chock full of directors who are also producers, coming off 2 or 5 years of starting to see the savings of not having to pay NEARLY what they were paying actors, will STRIKE with SAG in 2011, or 2014? the wga, still recovering from it’s own failed strike? aftra? maybe it’ll be “aima” – 2003’s acronym. (I still don’t know what it means) by 2011, if stephen collins and ned vaughn and james cromwell etc. get their way. so, suppose it is? will the actors “silo” be able to strike? or will the actors silo be overruled by the umbrella board and outvoted by the reps of the other two silos (broadcasters and recording artists)?
lots of questions, stephen, very, very few answers on either the actual effects of what was just passed, and, the merger zombies wet dream: merger, rising from the dead, yet again, for sag to have to deal with for the… 20th time? (16 official introductions of it into sag policy discussion, and 3 or 4 actual full votes – all “no” – reaching back to the 1930’s)
so, is it “qualified voting” that gives you the chubby? “fuck the rabble, let the working actors decide?” think that will pass? after this, I admit, anythings possible, but “vote for me – so I can take your vote away!” didn’t work so good for UFS the last time, I don’t see it being an easy sell next time, and now we know, for sure, there will be a next time. want to have a more “top down” union, stephen, where “committees” determine who serves, rather than the membership, where decisions can be made by the few, on behalf of the many?
agree with cromwell who SAID to dave clennon (who, by the way, was also gracious stephen) “we’re the one percent dave – we have the most to lose?” agree with that? since you’re not a member of the “one-percent” stephen, you might want to think about that.
ah, well, I planned to leave my one comment from way above, but, when stephen collins (!?) starts sounding off on the clear-eyed smart move the union just made, I gotta respond. please.
umm no you can’t szferris, because every singer I know gets royalties, despite the fact that they did not write the song.
We keep getting asked what our next step would be if we were to have defeated the contract offered by the AMPTP; did we have a plan?
Yes, of course we did, we’ve explained it many times; but just as we fail to think of ourselves as ‘grownups; incapable of figuring out things for ourselves; being at the mercy of the almighty “Boss;” we’re not so different as society as a whole, being put on the spot to determine our own destiny.
How about taking the lead from some Economist’s who published the following story in Sunday, June 7, 2009 New York Times:
By SANDY B. LEWIS and WILLIAM D. COHAN
Published: June 7, 2009
New York City Edition | National Edition
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Instead of hauling out the new drywall to cover up the existing studs, let’s seriously consider ripping down the entire structure, dynamiting the foundation and building a new system that rewards taking prudent risks, allocates capital where it is needed, allows all investors to get accurate and timely financial information and increases value to shareholders and creditors.
And;
Next stop; elect heavyweights, and a lot did come down on our side after being dormant for most their membership life. Now, they need to serve their board and hold the ‘floodgates,’ against Merger; and we have to deluge the Government, U.S., that is; with tonnage of Anti-Trust claims. Other than that, kiss your ass goodbye. The employers already told us how they plan the decimate the union.
Why should we believe them now? They’ve never told us the truth before.
Whatever happened to those guys who used to post here insisting there were 50,000 SAG members ready to vote down the contract? You would think we would have heard from some of them by now.
Couple of things (regardless of which “side” of the issues you’ve been on):
1. Residuals as we knew them were going to disappear anyway. The ratings aren’t high enough for broadcast networks to keep running them – so say goodbye to that first big residual check – the one that REALLY matters.
2. There is a presumption that creative participants are ENTITLED to residuals and profit participation because they helped bring the project to life. Newsflash, kiddies: most union projects req
Best thing about this deal–2 year sunset clause. Maybe with the unions together in a couple years we’ll have some leverage.
Doy,
if you are hearing singers on the radio and they didn’t write the song…they are not getting paid. that is why we have the perfomance rights bill. and it has not passed yet….
Comment by Jimmyhoffa — June 10, 2009 @ 8:22 am
You’re REALLY off subject.
Oh my goodness Libby, where do I even begin with you.
Thank goodness! I’m sorry to all you actors for a mediocre contract, but I as an editor have worked one month in the past year because of all this. Here’s hoping business things will have improved by the end of the year.
Now get busy bonding with the other unions to negotiate a better situation in 2011! Now’s not the time to lolly-gag and bellyache, but rather be ready for a swift and well-planned negotiation in 2 years.
Hey Justine Bateman,
You were part of the problem, dear…with you’re big mouth! Writing on every blog “what a scum bag union AFTRA is.” The in your face approach; that you used at every chance; turned people against whatever point you were trying to make. 70% voted yes, and you respond by telling them to FUCK themselves…you are the epitome of everything that is wrong with SAG! You worry about your “image”, is that the ugly, bitter one inside or the washed-up,loser one outside? So, Justine, in the language that you are so fond of…go fuck yourself, no one cares what you think.
Stephen -
LTNS! Good to hear from you here again.
Without taking on the merits of a SAG/AFTRA merger or what such a merger would look like, or the current and projected solvency of AFTRA’s P&H (separate from SAG, of course), isn’t talking merger right now a bit of a distraction???
Unite for Strength and the New National Majority successfully convinced a clear majority of SAG members who voted that they (you) do fully intend to address all of these issues afresh in a scant two years. That’s what the sunset clauses are about. Both sides approach the next contract negotiation with a clean slate.
With this in mind, isn’t it our job to focus on organizing our own guild in preparation for what promises to be a bruising negotiating process, and given that we have a very short period of time to do this, isn’t it our job to focus all of our attention on organizing now??? I mean, Patric Verrone needed a full two years to organize the much smaller WGA, and they invest more financial resources in organizing than the Screen Actors’ Guild. What’s up with that?
Investing resources in organizes accomplishes multiple goals. It makes us stronger at the table with the moguls, and a more attractive merger partner for AFTRA. It’s like when you’re preparing to propose marriage. You don’t show up drunk and disheveled; you shave and wear your best clothes fresh from the cleaners, you use her favorite cologne, you choose the ring with care, you endlessly rehearse in the mirror what you’re going to say….
We’ve just gone through a pretty bruising process. Correct me if I’m wrong, but our Executive Director is still INTERIM, and the NNM has yet to lift the muzzling of the democratically-elected president of the Guild. Don’t we need to get our act together before the WGA, or the DGA (we can dream, can’t we?), or even AFTRA will take us seriously as negotiating partners, and in AFTRA’s case, a possible merger partner?
That “1940s” paradigm you seem to deride still works pretty well for workers in a lot of industries in this nation. Organize organize organize. U4S, the NNM and Membership First leaders all agree on this. They demonstrated it by coming together to support the Employee Free Choice Act.
To me at least, it’s abundantly clear that SAG needs to invest HUGELY in organizing if we want to make the AMPTP take those sunset clauses seriously, and not treat new media the same way they treated DVD.
What’s your position on organizing?
Of course!!!!….. James Cromwell….. is Jim Jones!!!!!!
wow. the ‘no’ voters can sure dish it out – but they sure can’t take it.
Jeeze Matt- you were graceful ? Not. But somehow Stephen Collins- who by the way is one of the nicest actors I’ve ever worked with- but he can’t have an opinion without getting either shanked with words or stoned with the stupid talk-
Just because you guys think you are right – does not mean anyone else does- live and let live.
I could be a struggling middle class actor- I had a resume and opportunity- but when I couldn’t work consistently throughout the year to support my family- I realized I wasn’t one of the fortunate-
maybe the no voters should realize the same-
This is going to be the biggest “I told you so” in the history of SAG!
At least the poor, soon to be low-income actors can eat. Maybe AMPTP can set up a bread line too.
Thanks guys! You’re the greatest!
THREE CHEERS FOR MATT MULHERN!!! His long comment above spoke the entire truth … the truth MOST members of SAG don’t know and don’t know the gravity and severity of.
Matt, do us a favor and please, if there is ANYTHING left of this union in another year’s time, PLEASE run for the board!! We need strong voices such as yours’.
Goddamn, I wish every union member had the guts and the knowledge and the passion you do. If only we let in only actors who CARED that much about one another, we may actually BE somewhere with this bullshit!!! It’s sick and it’s sad that anyone, especially our union brothers and sisters, could and did take exactly this same knowledge that Matt speaks of and use it AGAINST all of us.
I wish life came with a handbook. One that could tell us if continuing to fight this greedy beast was even worth it. Because the truth is, I don’t know if I even want to BE in a union filled with FUCKTARDS who would vote YES on this shit-sandwich of a deal. Because no matter which way you slice it, it’s still a shit-sandwich. And I don’t want to be in the company of those who enjoy or would encourage me to eat one.
Think on that. Is the crux of the membership of this union worth fighting for? If 78% of our 30 “top percentile” believe I deserve nothing more than a SHIT-SANDWICH, then fuck them!! I don’t want to call someone like that my brother or sister.
CAN WE ALL..JUS…GET ALONG?
Jimmyhoffa: Next time you watch a movie on TV or theatre, remember the words you just said. Do you feel the same way about the stars you see on the screen? If you hate them so much I assume you don’t like to watch movies at all. It’d make you a hypocrite if you d.
For starters: it wasn’t 30% that voted – it was over 35%, so go employ litote somewhere else.
Alan Rosenberg was NEVER “muzzled.” He’s been given and he has accepted ample opportunity to voice his opinions on the SAG members’ dime. Nowhere in the SAG Constitution is the President designated as SAG’s spokesman – particularly when he is in opposition to SAG policy.
Matt Mulhern on the Board? He won’t even get his fat ass into town for meetings. At the two he HAS attended in the past year, he hasn’t even had the balls to step up to the mic and speak his piece. Some Board member he’d make!
DGA WGA AFTRA & SAG had their chance to join forces this time around. All four on the same side will never happen. DGA will never sign up. AFTRA maybe depending on who is at the helm and how “powerful” they feel they have become with their selling out. Only reason why AFTRA teamed with SAG for the contract talks was because they really needed SAG in this particular negotiation. As Ms. Reardon said in a radio interview with Mr. Rosenberg when they split for the theatrical talks, “I make my money in commercials.” Good luck SAG getting the ATA back on our side. And good luck to the smaller agencies and managers who will have to try harder than ever to make a go of it with the recently negotiated SAG/AFTRA deals. Someone just may have voted themselves out of rep. Learning from past mistakes? Hope so, doubt it.
In an online AP interview, Sam Freed was asked what SAG’s plan was if the contract didn’t pass.
“Ask Alan Rosenberg.”
Truthteller -
Alan Rosenberg is the democratically-elected president of the Screen Actors’ Guild.
If we were to run an analogy to the US government, it would be like the party in power in congress being able to tell the president he doesn’t speak for the nation. How rational does that sound???
JUSTINE BATEMAN….who flips the bird to the NY board directly into the camera during a video conference for all to see…real class. WHAT A GREAT GAL.
Justine you are a lame excuse for a SAG member let alone being on the board. Clean up your act and read up on the contract. You’re an embarrassment as a SAG Representative. You say FUCK YOU to TENS OF THOUSANDS of SAG members who voted for sanity? You elitist piece of crap. You are supposed to be working FOR the members. Not for yourself. You think as an elected person in SAG it is OK to say FUCK YOU TO US?
What a piece of work.
I’m glad that your true colors just came screaming out of your big fat mouth.
Pauly
Let’s be honest. When cornered, there’s two kinds of people in this world: those who stand up to fight and those who back down.
Those who say “live to fight another day” are generally the latter. And they will be two days from now or two years from now.
All you who voted “yes” and voted with your conscience, good for you. I voted NO, but you are entitled to your vote.
But just so you know, it’s fairly obvious where you stand when it comes to sticking up for yourselves and more importantly for others. So you can ease up on the transparent “in two years” comments.
“You people are amazingly lame! You, yes you. My mother worked her ass off at some shitty manufacturing plant for years with out the benefit of a union to protect her or her interests. She, unlike you, worked with heavy machinery, chemicals and real work hazards. I can list 10-15 guys that I FORMERLY worked with that have been laid off and are in deep financial trouble because of you dipshits and your dreams of becoming stars. You and your industry produces an end product that pollutes and contributes nothing tangible to our society. You pretend for a living! 99% of what you do falls into the trash bin of the human narrative and is quickly forgotten. Wow! I feel better. Anyway, thanks for holding all of Southern California hostage for a year. See you at craft services! Wait…was that in the contract? Are we still getting gourmet breakfast burritos? Oh, the Humanity!!!! Assholes!
Comment by Jimmyhoffa — June 10, 2009 @ 8:22 am”
So…why didn’t you post under your real name?
Cause you don’t have the courage or the balls to use your real name and that, is self-evident.
And how dare you use then name “Jimmyhoffa” and you better hope the real “Jimmy Hoffa” doesn’t read this post.
And why would you use this name unless, you are implying you are a Teamster?
And if you are a Teamster….grow some real balls…before someone cuts them off !!!
And at least some members of the Screen Actors Guild, had the balls to stand up and fight for a fair contract, while you are being the selfish child that you are.
You are the problem with the labor movement and that too is self-evident.
There were far too many actors who DIDN’T vote their conscience but rather voted a celebrity’s conscience. For the “truthteller” above, my feeling is that he is now trying to bury his tail between his legs and spit venom at everyone else because he knows, just as everyone else does (see the shit-eating smirk on Sally Field’s wrinkled face in her “vote yes” video) that this vote will absolutely DESTROY the remaining working class SAG members. It’s what they wanted and it’s what AMPTP tricked actors into doing to THEMSELVES.
I have to agree – I don’t know if I’d want to be in a union with those kind of dumbshits either. SAG is going down because the SAG members VOTED to go down.
Now who’s to blame???
Yo Michael Heister – you don’ know the difference between the U.S. government and SAG’s? Idiot. Maybe that’s why you in the 22% minority of Always Say No To Everything group. Bunch of nitwits have screwed actors long enough. Bye bye! Yo Lamosity don’ like being in SAG? Tear up your card – you probably get more work.
Anyone surprised by the ad I saw the other day from NBC? (peacock network) about wishing to see your favorite classic shows which they then listed several (sorry I can’t recall) that you can see them on their website…….I had expected to see something like Retro TV which I get as the second channel on a different networks digital channel but no its them taking advantage of the new contract…. Oh yeah these older shows had no value so why worry about residuals or royalties…..Rather short sighted for someone who grew up on Gilligan’s Island re-runs never realizing they weren’t getting paid for these….I guess Bob Denver doesn’t need the money on the other hand Tina Louise?
Oh well it wasn’t my vote….
To the MFers who fucked us for years now.
You and your other Mulhern following cowards (can’t get off his fat ass to even comment at the most important town hall in NY but he can blog incoherently for pages!!! freakin chicken shit asshole) have seen your last days.
We are proud to have told you what we the members think.
Now deal with it or get the fuck out. SAG members are sick of your childish, selfish, lies and bullshit.
ZERO TOLERANCE.
Pauly
What scares me is that I see very little strategic calm on these pages from either side.
The facts are that we have a deal. Is it perfect? No. But in an economy where the best case scenario for most people is to just keep their jobs the fact that we’re getting a raise is encouraging. There’s a downside to getting a better deal (that no one wants to talk about) but let’s just take a moment to celebrate.
In two years we will negotiate for another deal. We may be able to negotiate in conjunction with another union, but I don’t think it’s extremely likely…
Because we still aren’t great at just having a conversation. Mulhern, Ace, Bateman, Pauly, and many other voices on this board personify the shortsighted vitriol, factionalization, and demonization that has not only hurt our own union, but alienated us from the other guilds in our industry. We need to fix that; we need to learn how to negotiate before anyone else is going to take us on as a negotiating partner.
pauly,
my hunch is you are a small man,
not necessarily physically, but small inside,
and obviously angry,
who can only work up the nerve to call someone
a fat ass and a chicken shit asshole
when he is hidden behind the security blanket of internet anonymity.
to call mulhern a coward for not standing up to speak in NY
when you yourself can’t use your real name while
criticizing matt mulhern in the most vile and abusive way
is a bit IRONIC.
don’t you think?
this america. you get to say and think what you please.
matt mulhern has the balls to use his real name,
whether you agree with him or not.
if we are going to achieve unity, extremism from both sides
will have to be abandoned in favor of creating a middle ground and working together there.
i know there are people on both sides who wish the other faction
“would just die”.
this will never happen.
this is like the democrats hoping the republicans will
magically disappear or vice versa.
extremism vs. unity.
where do you fit in anonymous pauly?
Yes, Jed. It didn’t take a minute to begin the rebranding. The ink on the lousy contravt hasn’t even dried.
NBC.com was increadibly agressive during the one hour of primetime I watched last night re-branding itself as NBC.com.
A few of the ads and voiceovers I recall were:
“You’re watching NBC.com” voiceover with new logo
“Miss your favorite classic shows like Charles in Charge and Miami Vice? See all your favorite episodes at NBC.com” ad with stills form the shows of Scott Baio & Don Johnson.
“For more information on The Listener go to NBC.com” ad
“Take a quiz on this episode at NBC.com” ad
And of course as you noted beneath the peacock logo every time they showed the station identification instead of NBC it said it’s new name and soon to be address, “NBC.com”
It amazes me that people here still insist it’s not happening. Your television will be delivered through the dot com and the networks are getting you comfortable with the new logos and the sites now that the last of the residual-killing contracts have been passed by all the unions–finally by a SAG membership.
It’s not about personalities and political groups inside the union or any of the childish things some share here. It’s technology which throughout history is ever-changing.
And if you still think we haven’t lost you’re not paying attention.
I’m not a member of any SAG party and I’ve never met a single Membership first member or Unite for Strength Board member in person. But Membership First members were right about the technology shift that in underway and that this contract will kill the working actor who can’t negotiate 6 figure deals.
I voted NO in hopes of retaining our residuals and getting a fair internet delivery contract since with the networkd moving to DOT COM delivery the digital changeover later this month TV is completely ready for it’s internet upgrade.
For all of you who voted “yes,” make yourselves some post-it notes that say “I voted YES and gave away residuals because the internet will never be aired on my TV.” and stick it on your TV set every time the DOT COM logo comes up in the next two months: ABC.com, NBC.com, CBS.com and so on. Just cover those words with the post its.
That way when the delivery system to your TV is via the internet at these newly branded networks like NBC.com in about 6 months your screen will be covered with post it notes and can stand firm in your 1950s assertion that new technology will not be seen on
your TV.
KOOLAID.COM…..Yummy!!!
What a bunch of Fops & Hair-flippers! This Union has been totally dumbed-down!
I keep writing these long, thoughtful responses, and then accidently deleting them. So, I’ll keep it short: hey “pauly” and truthteller” and anybody else with the balls to step up and ID?
FUCK YOU
Matt Mulhern
The sadist part about this whole contract cycle, is we really showed the AMPTP and the rest of the world how weak we really are, and that is not going to help us in 2011.
We really devalued and de-leveraged ourselves with this contract and with that we should really be ashamed, for what we have done to the next generation of up and coming Actors.
A big SORRY should go out to the WGA by all the members of the Screen Actors Guild.
2011 will be like watching a bad movie all over again.
I wish that we could get on with the business of working, however, in a field where 95% of all actors are unemployed at any given time, regardless of the economy, I find it hard to believe that of the 30-35% of people who voted, that they were actually making a living as actors in the first place.
We, as actors, have given up so much in the past few years. Do most of you realize that in the past ten years, most people that we consider “stars” have come out of the same handful of huge talent agencies and management companies? Where are we when it comes to fighting that battle? And now, we have given up so much, so much that actual working actors need to live, and people think that we are going “back to work”?
I guess I understand common ground, but it is hard to find that common ground right now. How about we look again in two years?
you ask why the voter turnout was so low?
and why the outcome was overwhelmingly ‘yes’?
simple…and just my two cents, of course:
only up-to-date/dues-paid-up members could vote. i am that working, middle-class actor who is perhaps affected most by this contract and who wanted to vote in the most dire of ways. yet i couldn’t. i just did not have the money to pay my dues to get that priceless ballot sent to me – because i have to prioritize my bills now, my mortgage, etc., and my other union dues bill, aftra. i am currently a recurring character on an aftra show, a show that would have gone to sag in a normal milieu. i am blessed to work consistently, and i want you to know my work now is mostly, if not all, aftra. my last sag job ended in mid-september. and i cannot tell you how many of my fellows, even award-nominated actors, are in the same boat. i ran into one such wonderful actor acquaintance back in november who said ‘i’ll probably lose my house come january’. i was astounded. you would be too if you knew who he was.
not as many jobs for actors (reality shows, leno at 10pm, etc.), leaves us all clamoring for a small amount of work, causing us to work for minimum/scale because producers know they can get us now for that price (no more meeting our hard-won quotes from back in the day – simple business 101)
PLUS:
bad residuals deals from way back when: minuscule cable rerun pay, vhs/dvd pay, and rapidly dwindling reruns for current network tv work as they almost all now have it available for free online from the first rerun onward
EQUALS:
a very difficult way to make a living. even in a frugal manner. i was ALWAYS able to pay my dues. my bills. but my lost residuals (i’ve been a recurring character every year lately on various hit cable shows who like most shows these days pay only scale initially and then also pay poorly in the residual department thereafter) prevent me from paying bills normally like i used to be able to do. but then again, great roles on great shows. you go where the work is.
my sag dues bill had to be put low on my bill-pay list, so i couldn’t vote. and that of course is why i believe the turn out was so low, as i know for a fact it’s this exact thing that kept others like myself from voting, and also exactly why the result was a resounding ‘yes’. i conjecture that only stars and series regulars, for the most part, could ‘afford’ to vote. and most voted yes of course. they are pretty much the only ones who have the money to keep paying all bills normally like i (we) used to. and they just aren’t feeling the pinch now like the rest of us. by the way, i used to be a series regular on a hit network show – just so you know where i’m coming from. i’ve seen both sides now. wish i had seen it coming. bad on me for not preparing adequately.
simple. and sad. and scary.
yet also a huge opportunity…if one can make the leap, think forward and fast, and adjust to the times.
as i said i am a working actor with a solid resume. i got lucky in this business, and am now in my late 40’s, am working now as i mentioned. utterly fortunate to have never had to get an ancillary job at anytime throughout my career as residuals and work and quotes (all a moot point now) and the grace of whatever you believe in has granted me a wonderful life in acting. i just want you all to know now that i just began two part-time jobs in other fields where i hope to be of service and give back to the world – and pay some bills – for which i am eternally grateful. being able to adjust accordingly to this huge sea change in the business is amazing for stubborn, prideful ‘ol me. yes, after 20-plus years in the business, while still working in the business, i’ve finally had to get other part-time work outside of my career simply to live. you all need to please know this, see it, prepare for it, now. it has changed. and it is so hugely unfortunate…yet potentially exciting and rewarding for those who are agile and awake. i am also writing now, wanting to produce my own stuff for online and beyond, and all this wouldn’t have occurred to me had this sea change not happened. basically, i’m trying to be agile…time will tell if i indeed succeed.
i don’t think i’m fabulous or extraordinary by being ‘an actor’, nor do i think i should be treated specially because i’m an actor. my job (yes, as well as my art) happens to be as an actor. i’d like to get paid for my job. a fair percentage of the profit. no more, no less. if they make money, we actors make money. that’s all i ask. if they use my work, i should get paid for my work. all of my work.
yes, i got paid too much as a series regular. but now i get paid too little. there has got to be a better pay configuration. let’s find it. together.
good luck to all of us. we can still get this done with grace and integrity in 2011. let’s use this time to change the perception out there about us actors, educate others as well as ourselves. keep the faith, all. and let’s do it with dignity and kindness, strength, unity and selfless, egoless sense, please.
we have got to come together and negotiate better, for ALL levels of actors. and for actors in the past, present and future. please.
I am moved by “with kindness.” The plea is heartfelt and all too real. The actor has taken it right in the chops, no doubt about it. Perhaps the arguments have been too simple, on either side: be tough, or, be realistic.
But the sad truth is, we are not the UAW, and the incompetence of auto-executives to think ahead is not our lot. The UAW went big when times were flush, and established a middle-class life with good benefits for their workers, and now, they, all too sadly, are suffering the torments of the damned as their companies go bankrupt, or face at best, a very uncertain future.
The reality is that the entertainment business is changing. The delivery system is changing. The established Television landscape is changing. The feature landscape is also changing, as is DVD, Blue-Ray, new media, in short, all of it.
The profound sadness I feel over this vote, and what I question in “with kindness”s post, is, we – WE – let ourselves be taken advantage of, simply to FURTHER fill the already bulging coffers of the entertainment conglomerates that employ us. People still want to see PEOPLE in movies, and the recent box-office numbers have been HUGE – record profits, in fact. People still want to se PEOPLE on well-made TV programs and they are all over network and cable television.
There is animation, which is huge, there are CGI effects, which despite the incredible talent and creativity of those who have attacked and solved the technical challenges to achieve turning a hired group of 30 actors as background players into an army of ten thousand, or, instead of some guy in a suit, shot aginst miniature surroundings, have created a Balrog (!?)- something I thought I NEVER thought I’d see in my lifetime, as a former (and current) teenage zeolot of “The Lord of the rings” trilogy, have created a science, a computer generated reality, more than a human art.
But the truth is, now? It’s like a sugar-high: you watch, ANY CGI miracle, you walk out of the theater, and you’ve become so inured to the fact that your brain is well aware what you just saw was totally fake, that ten minutes later, you’ve forgotten it. But that moment between those two PEOPLE? That is something you’l carry around in your head and your heart for the rest of your life.
We have only ourselves to blame for where we are, as actors. Only ourselves. The people (myself included) who have spent the last year like apocalyptic psychopaths saying “LOOK WHAT THEY ARE DOING!” have been dismiised as, well, apocalyptic psychopaths, by the “moderate” faction of our union, and soundly rejected by the 35% of the 110,000 who were eligible to vote. That’s reality. As I’ve written before, I truly believe the vast majority of the “yes” vote was simply a collective “PUNT!!” and wait till 2011, then…
Then…
What we do, who we are, as artists, as a union, unlike other unions, which rant and rave, but are all basically on a level playing field (there are no nurses getting 20 million and ten percent of first dollar gross) is, as a good friend, who is also a first AD once told me, is said behind our backs: “lens meat.”
Tough words. Offensive words. I laughed – he told me because I was directing an indie movie at the time, and he, incidentally, has great respect for actors and treats them accordingly, but the sad truth is, we have, over time, allowed ourselves to be abused. To be raped. We have allowed our union representatives to be treated with contempt, and the position we are in as a result of this vote, the array of horribles we just SIGNED onto – is our own lack of self-respect, writ large.
If you are not willing to go to war to protect your livelihood from attack: if you won’t fight to say “you can NOT take hard-earned quotes away, you can NOT allow a nonunion space in our contract, you can NOT take my right to tell you when and if you can exploit my image, you can NOT force me as a condition of employment to agree to, in character, in a TV show or film, turn to the camera and extoll the virtues of a cerain product that’s helping pay your freight, you can NOT take away my very ability to make a LIVING by taking away my residuals, that precious right, won and defended by our predecessors, who, perhaps because many of them came right out of, or had a clear memory of, The Great Depression, understood they were willing to strike because the refused to be treated with contempt by their employers any longer – all this and more, we deserve. We refused to unify when we needed to, we gave in to every single demand the producers made of our negotiators, we didn’t pay attention to what the roll-backs and give-aways REALLY meant for our incomes, and now, here we are – “back to work.”
I, for one, am ashamed of my union. Ashamed. I would rather have struck for a year and sacrificed the necessary parts of my life, my heart and soul, than give those fucking ruthless, bastards one fucking inch of our previously hard-won ground. But we never even threatened them – we never even had the collective courage to say “give us RESPECT, give us a FAIR deal, or we will not MAKE YOUR PRODUCT by applying OUR ART.”
I am ashamed. See you “back at work.”
Matt Mulhern
professional actor since 1982
AEA, SAG, AFTRA, DGA
Well, “LLL”, it’s so easy to take me (and others) out of context here at your leisure. To wit: “Mulhern, Ace, Bateman, Pauly, and many other voices on this board personify the shortsighted vitriol, factionalization, and demonization that has not only hurt our own union, but alienated us from the other guilds in our industry. We need to fix that; we need to learn how to negotiate before anyone else is going to take us on as a negotiating partner.”
Short-sighted vitriol? Factionalization? (WTF does that mean?) You want us all to “just get along”? I’ll tell you something – U4S/NYB came in and created the divide, very publicly, using the very same “vitriol” you claim here. If you want to see your (?) union get along, start by voting out the people who caused the problem.
I’ll tell you something else – I give what I get when it comes to rants and raves online. I’ve said in previous posts that MF probably has been too heavy-handed in their zeal to keep SAG strong and healthy. I consider myself not only a moderate, but independent as well. When people such as you come here and spew more than your simple opinion, including BS spin and talking points provided you by the AMPTP, then I will have something to say about that. You think that’s vitriolic? I think spreading lies about SAG and its leaders is beyond the pale – and you’ve stooped to that level (in the past).
So don’t come ’round here now, all flush from an ill-conceived victory and point your righteous finger at me. You want a stronger union? Then have the balls to stand up and clean house on the board, and then to actually fight for something – like a fair contract.
Enjoy those $26 residual checks, pal. Hope you don’t have any older relatives in the business from whom you’ve just taken away income…
THE REST OF US WERE ASHAMED OF OUR UNION FOR THE PAST YEAR!! When the attack on AFTRA began months before negotiations, the NY membership were outraged not just at attacking our sister union in our magazine, but why the hell would you let the producers know that we were at odds? How stupid can you get.
Talk about being ashamed. Of course as soon as people said that outloud who other than Mulhern was one of the biggest mouths shouting that he would never be ashamed to be a SAG member! How “proud” he was of his union
What a hypocritical ass hole.
Pauly
Yo ACE, get your history straight.
The DIVIDE happened when Doug Allen printed that shit about AFTRA vs. SAG in our SAG Magazine without allowing anyone to see it or comment on it from NY or Regional Board. The shit hit the fan when he and that bozo Rosenberg faced a furious NY membership in Fall of 2007 (just before we were supposed to start negotiations with AFTRA) and basically Alan and Allen said fuck you to NY and the Regional MEMBERSHIP.
As NED and President you are supposed to honor the wishes of your membership or at least weigh them in your decision. They didn’t give a shit what we thought and when they kept the AFTRA bashing up that’s when the shit hit the fan, man.
THAT’S what started this divide. By the time the NY board stood up and took charge it was MONTHS later. They asked for it and they gambled and they lost BIG TIME.
A union does not dismiss, disregard or ignore the rest of the freakin country and think all will be ok as they go along the same path of destruction. I called the NY office and screamed that the NY board better fuckin’ do somthing about this crap.
Anyone in NY will tell you that what I described was the flashpoint and explosion from NY members.
Pauly
“Yo”, Pauly (what the hell – “YO”? Are you livin’ in a frickin’ Rocky movie?). Anyway…
You’re still in this “us” and “them” state of mind – “us” being NY. It’s all “us”, pal. We’re all SAG, not U4S and MF.
First of all, you’re confusing the SAG/AFTRA divide with the MF/U4S divide. This isn’t about AFTRA. That love-fest is over. AFTRA absolutely stabbed its sister union in the back when it went against a long-standing agreement and undercut SAG in a desperate move to stay afloat. (You can argue all you want that AFTRA had cause, but that argument is all B.S.) That’s what Doug Allen was ranting about and why SAG was dissing AFTRA – and it was all warranted. I’m not saying everything he/they did was right but somebody had to do something to let SAG members know how damaging this was to us. Hindsight is a luxury that nobody had at the time, so it’s easy to look back and say what a failed endeavor that was.
You’re arrogant to decide what Doug Allen’s job is/was. I don’t know the specifics of his job either, but I doubt the National Executive Director has to approve a damn thing with the membership or the regional boards before writing a memo. What he did was to out AFTRA for the chicken-shit move it made against SAG at the time. And you NY people (who are predominantly AFTRA) didn’t like it. Uh… tough shit. AFAIK the letter was accurate and factual, if loaded with disdain. And it was written by our NED, who was hired by our nationally elected President. So shut up about it.
If that’s what you call the beginning of the “divide” within SAG then you’re simply wrong. That divide wasn’t within SAG, which is what this discussion is about. AFTRA precipitated that divide, and it was between AFTRA/SAG. When NY/U4S/NRB ganged up on Hollywood and derided them in public (when Sam Freed made his ill-conceived opinion public, and brought SAG’s inner-turmoils to the forefront DURING A UNION CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, for chrissakes), that’s when SAG truly became divided – in the eyes of the AMPTP, the rest of the entertainment industry and our own membership as well. And all just because NY didn’t like how the negotiations were going? Which is ironic, because we now have essentially the same contract that the previous (MF-led) negotiators got. Which is what makes John McGuire such a loser.
Were Doug Allen and Alan Rosenberg tough and holding the line with negotiations? Absolutely. And why? Because we are the largest labor union in the United States and there was no reason we should have been bullied by the AMPTP in such a way, and asked to take such rollbacks – not to mention being virtually shut out of New Media profit participation. This was a labor union contract negotiation with multi-billion dollar players against us. This wasn’t a nicey-nice sit-down over lattes. These greedy people are out to kill our union. The Neg Com knew what they were doing, what they were fighting for and why. Unfortunately, NY/U4S took advantage of our own vulnerability to force their own agenda on us. And so, scared the SAG membership into believing something new, untested and sub-par would be better than standing together to fight. And what do we have because of all of the turmoil? The same frickin’ contract we were offered a year ago.
All of this divisiveness for what? If U4S/NY/RBD had done what it/they said they would, and joined forces with our Neg Com to bring the membership together for a unified fight, we’d likely have a much better contract right now instead of the possibility of one in two years. They (you?) obviously chose otherwise. And why? Obviously, for a different agenda than one which would support the SAG membership.
It’s plain that NY doesn’t like Hollywood running things (sucks to be in the minority, huh?), since NY is so predominantly AFTRA and y’all didn’t like the majority (at that time) making decisions which went against your views and your love for AFTRA. Still, it was a substantial majority that made those decisions at the time and if you didn’t like it/them you should have kept in in-house.
I’m all for a merger with AFTRA, btw. But some things need to be worked out first. Recently, a big U4S supporter talked with me and suggested that the pension and P&H issues can be “worked out after the merger”, which is bullshit. (Sorry, Adam.) And which is why the merger referendum has failed so many times in the past. U4S has consistently had the point of view that “we can fix it later”. (Negotiations… qualified voting… merger problems…) This is NOT the way to run a union, or any company for that matter. It’s naive and potentially damaging to both parties in the merger spec. But if we can talk about it and get these things nailed down beforehand, I see no reason it can’t happen.
We can all sit for hours and do the “here’s what happened:” thing. I’m sure you’ll disagree with what I’ve written here. I’ll concede defeat on this contract referendum and we’ll go forward from here. It is what it is. The main point I want to make is that no matter U4S or MF, our leaders must, MUST do what’s best for all of the membership not just for their own selfish agendas. A good start would be for us all to put out weapons down and have fair, honest discussions about who/what SAG is and how we proceed. Pointing fingers at each other and screaming about water under the bridge is just pointless.
One more thing: you forgot to swear at me and call me names. I feel like you just don’t care anymore…
ACE
You were creating the history of the division. I was telling you the history in NY. This has everything to do with SAG’s purposeful and diliberate beating up of AFTRA. Nothing to do with the political crap though they led the charge (your Membership Fist UP YOURS leadership)
You can divert, spin and lie all you want. The split started with SAG attacking AFTRA in the SAG Magazine and those two idiot Allens trying to ignore NY and the Regional Membership. They gambled that it wouldn’t matter if they tried to diss us. They lost their shirts. They started it. We finished it.
End of Story
Pauly
To all you Ass Holes that are down on Justine Bateman.
She is right, you should go FUCK YOURSELF.
Justine Bateman is the Epitome of Woman Hood.
She Mirrors every thing that is Holy, Beautiful, Wholesome, Enchanting, Seductive, Honest and God Like.
If you looked up KIND in the Dictionary it would say see Loving,
Go to Loving and there would be a Picture of a Goddess…
who just happens to be Justine Bateman.
Billy Bob