I heard last week this was coming... Here's the full statement from the so-called SAG "National Board Majority” (they don't sign their names) which attempted and succeeded in ousting Doug Allen and dissolve the negotiating committee by a maneuver called "written assent". The group's email to SAG members from today is below:
A Message to Members from the SAG National Board Majority
Today we took an important and necessary action to address the leadership crisis at Screen Actors Guild. Representatives from SAG’s National Board majority delivered a “written assent” document to SAG headquarters which authorized the following: Doug Allen is immediately replaced as National Executive Director by former SAG General Counsel David White, who will serve as interim NED; Guild Senior Advisor John T. McGuire is appointed as Chief Negotiator of all SAG contracts; the TV/Theatrical Contract Negotiating Committee is replaced by a Taskforce which will complete negotiations on behalf of the Board of Directors.
In a meeting two weeks ago, a majority of the board sought to make the crucial changes now contained in the written assent, but were derailed by President Alan Rosenberg and a minority of board members through endless parliamentary games and improper behavior. By filibustering for over 28 straight hours, they prevented the Board from ever taking a vote on the majority’s proposal.
This unprecedented level of obstruction has paralyzed the Guild.
Written assent is included in SAG’s constitution to allow a majority of the Board to take action outside the boardroom if necessary. While extraordinary circumstances may require the use of written assent, we do not believe it is a desirable way to conduct Guild business. In this case, the unrelenting obstruction by a minority of board members has left us no alternative.
This action has the support of all but one of the National Board members from SAG’S New York and Regional Branch Divisions, and all in the Hollywood Division except those affiliated with the group Membership First. The signed written assent documents were delivered today to SAG headquarters in Los Angeles.
Upon implementation of the approved motion, Interim National Executive Director David White will assume control of all Guild operations and will coordinate with Chief Negotiator John McGuire to contact the AMPTP to undertake resolution of TV/Theatrical Contract negotiations, which ground to a halt nearly seven months ago. The leaner TV/Theatrical Taskforce will work alongside Mr. McGuire as the "eyes and ears of the board," providing input and support as contract negotiations are concluded.
Beyond the stalled TV/Theatrical negotiations, there is much work to be done and SAG members can rest assured that we have secured an exemplary leader in David White. A Rhodes Scholar, Mr. White has extensive industry experience and was SAG's General Counsel from 2002 to 2006. He knows the Guild and its contracts, and has the respect of our staff and the entertainment community. Our Chief Negotiator, John McGuire, is a 40-year SAG staff veteran who has negotiated over 30 contracts and is held in enormous esteem throughout the industry and the labor movement. We have complete confidence in his ability to deliver the best possible contracts for our members.
These much needed changes will allow SAG to chart a new course. We will work to secure a TV/Theatrical Contract that can be sent to members with a positive recommendation, and to effectively resolve all our outstanding contracts, including the Commercials Contract. We will also work to rebuild vital relationships in the entertainment and labor communities, and to reestablish Screen Actors Guild as a respected and powerful institution, protecting and defending performers nationwide.
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In its entirety, the written assent accomplishes the following:-- Removes Doug Allen as National Executive Director;
-- Engages David White as interim National Executive Director;
-- Names John McGuire as Chief Negotiator for all contracts, including the TV/Theatrical Contract currently in negotiation;
-- Replaces the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee with a Taskforce, which will represent the Board of Directors;
-- Directs that only interim NED David White, John McGuire, or their designee may communicate on behalf of Screen Actors Guild to other organizations, the general public, or the press;
-- Retains the law firm of Schwartz, Steinsapir, Dohrmann & Sommers LLP to advise the National Board and represent the Guild in negotiation of the terms of a written contract with David White;
-- In response to voting irregularities at the last Board meeting, instructs SAG staff to develop and implement a fraud-proof security system to regulate the use of the voting remotes used by Board members to cast their votes.
*In the interest of compliance with the AFTRA-SAG non-disparagement agreement under the AFL-CIO, Members of SAG’s National Board majority who are also AFTRA officers or board members wish to officially record themselves as abstaining from this statement.
Today we took an important and necessary action to address the leadership crisis at Screen Actors Guild. Representatives from SAG’s National Board majority delivered a “written assent” document to SAG headquarters which authorized the following: Doug Allen is immediately replaced as National Executive Director by former SAG General Counsel David White, who will serve as interim NED; Guild Senior Advisor John T. McGuire is appointed as Chief Negotiator of all SAG contracts; the TV/Theatrical Contract Negotiating Committee is replaced by a Taskforce which will complete negotiations on behalf of the Board of Directors.


Does SAG actually have balls (and brains)? Tell me that I misread this please.
Indie Producer
Hardy har har! These guys just keep the jokes rolling in.
Let’s see this ‘letter’ really has original signatures of the majority of the SAG Board. If it’s real, it violates the SAG Constitution in one respect… You can’t direct the PRESIDENT of the Screen Actors Guild to stop talking to the press or to other organizations.
We’re letting people who never work in this business mess up our lives… Let’s start SAG WEST PLEASE!!!
For the love of Mary, just send the “final” AMPTP offer to the members so they can vote it up or down. Since the “leaders” can’t lead, let the members take charge and negotiate en masse.
SANITY AT LAST!
This is despicable. I am a National Board member, elected by 75% of the voting membership, and I DID NOT GET A SAY ON THIS.
United For Strength apparently is making good on the “qualified voting platform”.
They did not ask all the members of the National Board to vote on this written assent.
They did everything to not allow the strike authorization to be mailed out to the membership to let them have their say.
They are now making this move to make sure the membership DOES NOT have a say on the current AMPTP proposal.
Additionally, your new “negotiating task force” has virtually NO ONE familiar with the future of New Media. And that’s smart when you’re negotiating a New Media contract because….?
Woe to the membership. Woe to the membership.
Outrageous! Sounds like the motion is littered with holes. But…
IF they are successful with this motion, they’d (U4S and NY) better get a decent, improved contract to the membership or else U4S (and NY board members) is completely fucked for the future. They’ve talked the talk, but can they… do anything else? So far, no; except for creating unrelenting discourse within the SAG board and membership.
As usual, Justine, you nailed it.
My God, is there nothing these traitors will go to undermine the guild and deliver the membership into the hands of the AMTP.
This is absolute madness, and I’m sorry to say the only possible explanation is that they are being paid off somehow… probably 30 pieces of silver.
Justine
Your group had a chance to deliver and didn’t. Say goodbye
Benedict Arnold thought he was a patriot. He was not. He was afraid of the King.
People with honor and character sign their names. Cowards are defeated in the next election.
Why not just dismiss the negotiating committee and replace it with the AFTRA board? Because that’s who negotiated the crappy contract we’re going to wind up with if this is allowed to happen.
Bye-bye residuals. Bye-bye meal breaks. Bye-bye to control over the use of my likeness. Hello, non-union scabs.
Oh brother! Who voted for these guys and is this what they were voting for? For crying out loud… have you heard Ned Vaughn try to speak? He’s like George Bush’s little brother!
I don’t know the in’s and out’s of a “written dissent”.
Justine Bateman, were you at the long Plenary meeting? If it had come to a vote there, you would have absolutely had your say. I have heard there were a lot of proceedural issues that kept this from coming to a vote (as reported here and other places).
This has nothing to do with “qualified voting”. The claim is simply that a majority of the National Board approved this motion outside the confines of the Board. In theory, had the vote taken place in the board room with all the National Board in attendance, the outcome would be exactly that same.
I’m certain this will be fought and I’m certain this means a continuing battle of forces that will hamstring all our efforts to get the compensation we deserve.
Personally, I would prefer both MF and U4S and ALL National Board members finding common ground. Unfortunately if this is really implemented the MF faction will pretty much vote against anything that comes to pass and that puts us in the same limbo we were before where a strike authorization is impossible, thus our largest stick is rendered useless.
No matter how this plays out, we MUST GET THE BOARD TOGETHER SOMEHOW. If the factions continue to fight, so will the members and ALL SAG members will pay the price.
What is required for this Written Assent to take effect? Who at SAG Headquarters needs to sign it? One person, or a board? Wouldn’t the President of SAG be the guy at SAG Headquarters who rules on this? If not he, then who?
Please advise.
Frank
But Justine, how can we say we were going anywhere with the way things stood? To bicker more within the union only continues the problems we are experiencing. So what that there’s a new team? I don’t see any better path to trying to make this work. I understand your concerns about the contract as is. I empathize. But, we have to find ourselves a way out of this mess, and politically we were not finding that way. We have to trust that this new leadership will be honest and understand what is important, gathering the needed information. Why not offer them a hand in providing any information on New Media that you do not think they already know? (Instead of cutting them down.)
The Majority of the board is just that ……………. “The Majority”
suck it up Bateman. The rules apply to all. It is after all a “national board”. If you try to silence them in the room they will just eliminate the room.
Anyway ……………. What’s the problem. if they can get the deal done let them. Stop all the yelling and let’s get back to work.
This so-called “national board majority” bemoans their being filibustered at the December board meeting, but the only reason the meeting was called in the first place was to prevent a vote of the membership.
Pretty undemocratic behavior, if you ask me.
Poor Mallory. You didn’t get to vote “no” on a consent resolution that already had a majority “yes” vote in the bag.
Consider that you and everyone in Membership First will be deemed to have said “no” on this.
If, however, you are unhappy because you wanted to vote “yes,” I’m sure you could lend your name to the written assent resolution without too much difficulty.
Oh, what’s that? You didn’t get to debate this? Gee, maybe if you hadn’t helped hijack the in-person board meeting earlier this month, some actual debate would have occurred.
Grow up.
If it is indeed a Majority of the National Board then call it what it is a Majority. I hope it is legal and it flies. I believe that once it is verified that a written assent has attained signatures from a majority of the board then it passes. If it legal, follows the SAG constitution and it passes then the MF’s should do what they have been preaching and support the majority.
Why is it only a “so-called SAG “National Board Majority”…” when it is a majority of the SAG National Board?
Dear Ms. Bateman,
Where was your urgency to debate this motion during the 28 hrs you were keeping it from the floor?
You can’t have it both ways.
You had “YOUR SAY”. By thwarting the board majority at the plenary, you told them to find a way around you. And they did.
And now you have to eat it.
Ketchup?
Gee Ms Bateman, what part of “SAG National Board MAJORITY” don’t you understand?
The MF Council MINORITY pulled a parliamentarian filibuster at the recent NC meeting, in addition to Mr. Rosenberg’s claiming the UFC/branches MAJORITY didn’t properly submit their call to oust himself, Mr. Allen & the negotiating committee, so I don’t really think you’ve got much of a leg to stand on by complaining NOW, when a MAJORITY of National Council follows the “letter of the law” by submitting the written assent per the Constitution.
I believe the correct term for this is “sauce for the goose” Ms Bateman; MF made their bed, now they’ll have to lay in it.
It looks like they already started. When I went to look at the Constitution on the SAG website to see if what they were trying was constitutional, all I got was Page Not Found. The By-laws are there but not the Constitution.
It is illegal for a member of SAG to be working for the Studios and promoting a law firm to undermine SAG’s clout in the negotiation. SAG should file a grievance against the renegade SAG leadership and sue them for a conspiracy to ruin the union.
Thank god, lets hope they can accomplish something.
Justine,
You had a chance to vote on this during the Natl Board meeting. You know the one where you (and the rest of MF) decided to filibuster instead of vote!
Does SAG even have plans to settle this contract dispute? This is fucking ridiculous! Quit bickering with each other and acting like babies and do something that is relevant to either signing a new contract or going on strike. For 7 months SAG has had 2 choices to make and yet they still haven’t made a decision. Why is this union even around?
97% of the board approves a strike referendum 80 some odd percentage of the membership mails the Board to note they are opposed to current contract offer.
Suddenly the “National Board Majority” starts generating press releases and motions to stop what they themselves put into motion and to Blame Rosenberg and Allen.
I’m not sure what these folks are up to–I’ll bet they don’t know themselves– but I will say they are diabolical, diabolical, DIABOLICAL!
…oh, and morons.
It’s a shame some of you were fooled into voting these folks in and now can only watch while they hijack the UNION for their own childish agenda.
The contract is no good. It will not get ratified. This is all a smoke screen for actresses that sleep with producers.
To clarify, my last comment was accidentally sexist. Apologies. I was trying to beat around the bush cleverly so as not to mention Kate Walsh by name. But there you have it. She and her “party” are antiUnionists and diabolical.
Proponents of Affected Member Voting, she is married to a Producer, all ill-educated egomaniacs, and some of you still insisted on voting her and them in. Fight the real enemy.
All Due Respect Justine:
You did get a say on this. You got a say on this when you and the other Membership First members filibustered for 28 hours to prevent the vote on this. The same majority of National Board members who delivered this written assent were prevented from putting this vote to the board at that meeting.
By you, and the others in the minority.
Rosenberg says this ends democracy in SAG, which means that he doesn’t understand that in democracy, majority rules.
This is exactly what would have happened at the board meeting if it had been allowed to proceed in a fair and democratic fashion. The majority of the board wanted this action.
That is democracy.
Congrats! You’ve done something that will irreparably fracture the union for years to come. If a train wreck had the ability to look at something and shake its head, this would be it.
The actions of this group have been horrible destructive since they formed and, I can only assume, will be until they end in failure.
We actors are seriously screwed for generations to come. And to think I believed the WGA had been undermined by its members.
I guess someday we’ll all look back at this from the cubicles we work in and laugh.
This is a dark day for SAG and its membership.
Justine Bateman writes:”They are now making this move to make sure the membership does not have a say on the current AMPTP proposal.
Well, maybe that’s because they are going to go back to the AMPTP and re-open talks, because you and your ilk botched it so badly and pissed off an entire industry, god knows they can do no worse.
Your completed lack of understanding anything has driven feature films to a halt, putting major amounts of people out of work. Pilot season…what pilot season? The only reason T.V. is in “fair” shape, is because it’s episodic.
I hope the actors get a better agreement, and this will have nothing to do with you Justine…Woe to the industry that had to put up with you. Woe to the industry that had to put up with you.
Justine Bateman:
I absolutely understand your consternation. What in the hell is going on?? Also, I was interested to see what actors DID NOT show up last night. No Hanks, no Clooney, no Damon…coincidence?
I am very sorry to see Mr. Allen go. My guild essentially tied both his hands behind his back, cuffed his fingers, slathered him in crude oil and then blamed him for not catching the ball.
John T. McGuire has his hands full. The so-called “moderates” (and I have a problem with the appellations Andrew Salomon over at Blogstage and others have used to describe SAG’s factions – I’d go with realists for MF and corporate appeasers for U4S) are not going to get anything significantly better from the moguls than Doug Allen got. They may throw a couple of minor sops to the new negotiator, but I guarantee you they aren’t going to give anything of significance on New Media issues.
If the new task farce, um, force, recommends a contract that includes jurisdiction and residuals rollbacks for New Media, they’re going to have their hat handed to them by the members. The vote that put U4S members on the board was not a repudiation of the principles MF stands for; rather, it was an expression of frustration with the lack of progress on the contract. The rank and file certainly appeared ready to reject the AMPTP’s July offer – we’d already done that in the postcard poll.
U4S has said it stands for the same principles on New Media as MF. Now we’re going to see if they put their money where their mouth is.
As well, I second the sentiments Justine Bateman expressed in her comment at Deadline Hollywood Daily. This is not exactly a moment of glory for the guild.
Adios, SAG. If this goes through you’re pretty much done. This is now the dumb negotiating on behalf of the blind. Good thing you’re only washing the next 25 years down the drain. (Wow, was home video that long ago?)
Thank God!
Cmon, Miss Bateman. Membership First didn’t allow a vote on the motion to oust Allen so United for Strength is using the alternate mechanism allowed for by SAG rules. They didn’t need to allow you to have a say on the written assent – the whole process is intended to circumvent the situation where the powers that be won’t allow the entire board to vote on an issue.
As far as preventing the entire membership from voting on the currentAMPTP proposal, there is no need to vote now. Assuming that the written assent works, as it seems that it legally will, one of two things will happen – a new team will negotiate with AMPTP and either get a new contract offer or the same contract offer. In either case, if the new bargaining team accepts what is offered by AMPTP, then it goes for a vote by the entire membership. The membership will eventually have to approve any new contract. Voting on the current offer seems, to me, pointless because Membership First seems to have no strategy other than a strike, which the majority of the membership clearly don’t want, if the current offer is turned down.
Apparently Justine you don’t know either
Justine Bateman who gave her voting “device” to angeltompkins to vote in her place in the Board meeting complains she doesn’t get a chance to vote?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
These new guys had better come up with a great contract or we will all join AFTRA and take IT over. Wait!!
Will we ever be able to see who voted for this? This was a bold move and if it fails I’d like to know who to hold accountable (besides those in UFS) and who not to vote for in the next election. It feels wrongheaded and likely to further fracture the already divided union. I can’t imagine a consensus vote at this point, or a contract coming out of this that will be approved by membership.
Sorry Justine but your show just got cancelled. Yeah the network was unhappy with all the infighting among the cast. The filibuster in the trailers when you wouldn’t come out was the last straw.
One Doug gone one to go….
Hey Zachery, Kate Walsh is divorcing a studio executive, not married to a producer. If you’re going to defame someone, at least get your facts straight. Typical MF smear.
Justine, it’s not all about you.
Instead of getting your knickers in a twist, why didn’t you force your fellow high and mighties to pull their fingers out of their asses and actually do something? It’s been over six months of nonstop bullshit and everyone sick of it. If you think you’re going to get elected after this “performance” then you’re delusional. Shit or get off the pot. Or else someone’ll knock you off the pot. This isn’t NBC, darling.
MHeister, if you don’t believe that the new guys are going to get anything better than Doug Allen, why hasn’t Doug Allen been able to make a deal? It’s been seven months of failure.
Look, both Unite for Strength and Membership First recently did things to subvert democracy. But Unite for Strength has laws in place so that democracy could prevail. They sent in this “written assent” document(s) and if it was legal and democratic then that is the law and we must obey it. BUT Unite for Strength is a very unjust group as well that subverts the democratic process. This very process it claims needs to be respected. Unite for Strength did not allow me or my fellow SAG members to vote, in a democratic manner, as to approve a strike authorization or not. UNF did not want the democratic will of a democratic people to be heard. UNF used all means necessary to block this democratic process and then hypocritically condemned the Membership First faction for blocking a recent vote at a National Board meeting. UNF BLOCKED the democratic vote on the strike authorization. My question is this,” Is there any ‘written assent’ document available for SAG members to sign that allows us to vote on a strike authorization when the will of the democratic majority of 120,000 SAG members is being blocked by a minority 36 or 37 people who call themselves “Unite for Strength.” On one side you have thousands and thousands of SAG members who want to democratically vote on the strike authorization. On the other side your have a tiny group of 36 or 37 Unite for Strength people who are blocking this democratic process. AND the SAG members have no recourse against them, have no “written assent” to stop them from subverting democracy.
Well, there goes the neighborhood…
Who cares if the deal is crappy..sign it anyway!!
Suggestion for the next SAG elections – if we make it that far: break up the factions. Look through the candidate bios for sane people who aren’t members of factions, and vote for them.
So I’m all for a better contract offer. Doug Allen was fired (with pay through the end of his contract) because everybody decided it was his fault for not getting a better contract offer.
But let’s be realistic. If we’re gonna pay/fire our lead negotiator and NED based on performance then I make a motion that if the new guy(s) David White and John McGuire don’t get a substantially better contract offer from the AMPTP, then no pay for them.
Hey, “live by the sword, die by the sword”. Sounds fair to me.
onasinkingship,
yes you already know who voted for it. It says in the letter that it was the entire Hollywood board except for the Membership First faction and unanimous from the NY & regional boards except for one. I don’t think it mentioned the one by name but that was Eric Bogosian. So basically the entire board except for Membership First (which Erci Bogosian is apart of).
If the “deal” on the table is so horrendous how is that SAG puts on a huge red carpet, glamourous gowns, jewels & lots of self congratulations – awards ceremony – all the while 100s of people are out of work b/c of their infighting & delays – with only so much as one mild comment about residuals during the whole show… and pre shows??
unless SAG wants to make this drama a reality show they better realize they’re hurting the future of scripted programing & feature films far more than they’re looking to gain on the “new media” side.
“new media” is only an issue if its scripted programming being filmed the first time!!!
On the bright side, I have heard from several UFS folks that John and David will insist on far more new media residuals and a much larger cut for DVD.They also said that no meal breaks would be a non-starter. That sounds pretty fair.
I agree with Justine.
Isn’t the mind of an actor just a wonderful thing. All the other unions have accepted a deal which they deem to be fair and equitable. It’s good for everyone but YOU. You feel that you are entitled to more. Screw all the people that support you, the 10 to 20 crew members for each actor that steps foot on a set, and all their families. Remember them? Those people who have to sit around and watch you botch your lines, stand around in the rain and the cold waiting for you to come out of your trailer, the ones who get left behind in LA while you’re off shooting in France and Hawaii and New Zealand and CANADA (you know they all get laid off when you leave town..DON’T YOU). Those people that actually WORK!
You have already successfully slowed production to a crawl. Are you not familiar with the term “SOFT STRIKE”? That’s the CRAP you’ve been pulling since JUNE! Have you not noticed the long lines of studio people in the banks holding on to their unemployment checks hoping that you get your heads out of your asses before the checks run out. We don’t get residuals. We generally can’t hold down second jobs as waiters or whatever the hell else you do. And good f**kin luck trying to find another job right now anyway.
I personally have already been out of work since Oct. as has almost EVERYBODY else I know (IA, Grips, Electric, Transpo, Crafty). And work between June and Oct was scarce at best. ALL THANKS TO YOU! AND THEN you narcissistic A’holes have the gall to expect our support. Are you REALLY that out of touch with reality? Do you REALLY believe all that crap that your agent and publicist tell you? Are you all caught up in your own hype?
Or is it that the dirty little secret that you truly don’t give a flying f**k about ANYBODY but yourselves finally rearing it’s ugly little head.. well actually in your case BIG head.
Think about that the next time you’re sitting there with 100 crew members staring back at you.
TAKE THE DEAL!! YOU RENEGOTIATE IN A COUPLE YEARS ANYWAY YOU IDIOTS!!!!
Graham,
You’re a smart guy do you really think that when John and David “insist on far more for new media residuals and a larger cut for DVD” they will be accomodated? I hope they are succesful but I find it difficult to believe they will get anything other than what has already been offered. The new majority, those at the helm, have shown their hand in a very public way. There is no room to manuver and the producers who met in 2007 with the intent to do away with residuals (see NYTimes July 11 ‘07) know that.
onasinkingship,
That is what UFS is all about, right? Gettiing a much better deal for us than the other guys.Anyway, that is what these UFS folks told me. Why would they tell me that if not true. Can any UFS folks out there clear this up for us? We get much bigger cuts of DVD profits and new media with UFS, right?
Zackery is right. Kate Walsh is a nasty-looking cunt who looks and acts more like a embittered transvestite than a voice for the rank and file. And speaking of, just a few short years ago, she was just that. A rank and file actress with a short list of credits, who, when she hit the jackpot by sleeping her way to the top with one Alex Young, who divorced her arrogant ass months later, sold out all her fellow actors to see to it that her programming would continue by preventing the majority of the SAG membership from voting on a contract which may or may not disrupt her filming schedule, and thus, her bank account. Ingrateful bitch. Manly-looking snob, if you ask me. Then, the equally stupid membership votes her onto the board because, hey, she’s a star, right? Would this same membership vote in Hanks or Clooney to be a voice for the little guy as well? I think it’s high time the membership wakes up and actually READS what they are voting upon before throwing our union down the drain. It was much better when SEG was separated from SAG, and now it’d be far greater if the STARS were separated from the working class actor. Because truly, this contract is all about that. The working class actor and no one but. No stars, no extras, and no tv newreporters should ever have a right to say just how much I earn as that working class actor. Fuck UFS!!! They just put SAG in an early grave.
It’s all over now.
Thanks in part to the ugly cunt, Kate Walsh.
To “SAG Member”…what a crock of bull. To say this is the work of 36 “blocking” members of UFS is just nonsense. Over 2150 working actors signed a petition against what has been going on, many of them well known performers who love this union. To claim that there is an overwhelming majority in favor of a strike authorization is poppycock. If that were the case, the SAV would have gone out weeks ago. The reason they didn’t do it is because they knew the required number of votes weren’t there. A lot of people are silent on this issue and not nearly as vocal as some of your factions but they are making themselves known with their votes, as they did in the last election. How do you think UFS made those gains to begin with? Please….stop trying to slant things so one-sided. There’s been too much of that and all it does is divide us further. Get real. No matter what side of this you’re on, I’d at least have more respect for your opinion.
PETE:
Where do you get off unleashing such nasty bile about a fellow union member? We may agree or disagree with Kate Walsh but she has taken time out of her life to try and represent us and do the best she can for actors. I’m sorry she passed on joining you for a drink at the Powerhouse but get over yourself.
If you disagree, vote her out. Or run yourself.
This nonsense about vilifying fellow members, threatening blacklists, threatening to not vote for a fellow guild member for an award because of their stance on negotiations, this has got to stop. If it doesn’t, we should honestly get rid of SAG. Members like Pete (if he is a member) makes me seriously think that maybe this organization, despite it’s noble history, has outlived its usefulness.
To “The Crew”:
It perplexes me that you were one of the first to get cut, while other crew members still work. You sound like a delight to work with, not a jealous angry two-faced backstabbing resentful entitled grunt.
I own several McDonald’s too. Stop whining about the actions of others and get an application, bitch. I have some openings in the fries department where you’re coworkers will have similarly sunny dispositions.
Then you can kiss up to me just like you kiss up to stars’ faces, and rant and rave like a cranky fat hypocrite and say all the crap you want while you watch the fry timer, if that isn’t too much of a challenge for your rage overridden thoughtlessness.
I’d put you on the front counter, since we have new machines with just the pictures of the food so as not to tax your superior intellect, but I’m sure you understand that we’d like to keep you away from the customers. You sound scary.
Graham, oh…you’re joking. duh.
To Are We There Yet?, Yes “Over 2150 working actors signed a petition against what has been going on, many of them well known performers who love this union.” BUT YOU DO NOT MENTION that YES and over 4000 working actors signed a petition IN FAVOR OF what has been going on, IN FAVOR OF Membership Firsts position and Doug Allen’s position, many of them well known performers who love this union. SO a MAJORITY, 66% signed a petition FOR and a MINORITY 33% were against. The majority voice should have been heard, the Strike vote should have been sent out. So I hear a lot of UNF supports blogging that a 52ish% new majority national boards recent decision needs to be respected. But you UNF supports would not respect the 66% who supported sending out a strike authorization vote and did everything you could to stop the MAJORITY SAG member voices from being heard and a MASSIVE 66% is significant enough to justify sending out the vote. You say respect the MAJORITY numbers of the new National Board but you would not respect the MAJORITY numbers when the MAJORITY wanted a strike vote to be sent out. So, please, respond to that . . . go ahead. UFS and their supports are hypocrites. (Examples: You can’t say drinking and driving is bad, I would never go out and drink and drive and THEN go out and drink and drive.) You can’t go out and say we need new leadership, MAJORITY voice rules and needs to be respected AND THEN go out as a MINORITY and try to not allow the MAJORITY voice to be heard. This is what happened with the strike vote. So again, please respond.
Dear SAG Member…I think you are underestimating the silent majority. Why do you think there was such a shift in the last elections to begin with? I was simply point to the fact that someone was saying this was the work of 56 people, when in fact there are many more than that have come forward…and many MORE who want change and have made it clear with their votes and otherwise…It’s very typical of your faction to throw some insults in at the end of your comments of blame everyone else for actions that lie squarely at the feet of the Allens, AMJ and others…Bottom line? This was horribly managed. Your “team” would have sent out the Strike Vote already if they knew they had the votes…the fact that they knew they didn’t is what stopped them. Don’t pin that on those of us who try to exercise a little more common sense.
You all are idiots!!! On a week where 68,000 Americans were told they are losing their jobs, which for most means they will go into financial ruins you fight and argue over which way to split BILLIONS. I am neither a member of SAG nor an actor but from the view in the cheap seats you look very greedy trying to squeeze every last penny out of the contract. I realize I don’t have the “inside view” of the fighting but I give more creditability to Hanks, Clooney and Damon than the crew that are trying to take you down the same road the writers took, especially in this economical climate.
Dear Are We There Yet, Good point. Well said. I was simply trying to point out that there was a significant Majority of the SAG members whose voices wanted to be heard. A massive, significant, majority who wanted to vote on the strike authorization. In your opinion, there was a significant, silent majority. In my opinion there was indeed a significant vocal majority AND an even more significant silent majority. So who was correct? We do not know because democracy was subverted and a vote of the people was never allowed. Which side we are on is not relevant. Was is relevant is the voice of the people. The people voted and gave a slim majority of the National Board to UNF. There are two massive questions that need to be answered by the people and the people only. NOT UNF and NOT MF. The people. 1) Will you give the National Board a strike authorization? VOTE ON IT. 2) Will you accept this June 30th AMPTP final offer? VOTE ON IT.
Well, a response from a UPM.
Funny thing is is that I think I know your low budget ass. You’re the one they call burger boy aren’t you. Well they don’t say it to your face. “Why don’t we have the supplies we need to build the set?” “Burger boy says we don’t have the money.” I day played on some cable rate Hallmark movie of the week crap you were on a few years back. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA man you are such a loser. I was only there 2 days before I learned that all the coordinators and department heads hated you. You tried to get the transpo capt. and the con. coordinator fired (to no avail) after they threatened to kick your ass. All of your political hires (friends) were as inept as you and the prod. trailer and offices were a cluster fuck. Yet I’m sure that you’re very proud of yourself and your ability to hire people that kiss your ass instead of doing a QUALITY production.
If you REALLY need to question where, when, and if I work, the FEATURE (not tv, cable, MOTW, comm. etc.) that I was on from Jan to July had wrapped. As the lead, the foreman and I were the last 2 in our dept. to leave the lot (apparently this is important to you).
The **TWO** *FEATURES* that we were supposed start in the late summer and work through till next spring all got pushed INDEFINITELY till the actors get their shit together and the REAL producers (not upm’s) are sure that there won’t be a strike. WOW, a coordinator splitting his crew in half to run 2 major features simultaneously, yeah we’re that good. (there now I sound like an egotistical asshole) Now we all have to scramble to find what we can on the few shows in production and they are already crewed up. Are you still perplexed burger boy?
And what role does a upm play in the artistic process.
We can’t do it with out the actors, and the writers. Somebody has got to build the sets. Somebody has to light it and film it all. Hair, make-up, wardrobe all necessary. What if we all decided to do it for free? Where would you be? BACK MANAGING YOUR McDonalds. Which is where pathetic little number crunchers belong. Ah the upm, a PA on a power trip sitting on his little box of money striving to display his importance. If ALL the upm’s in the industry went on strike it wouldn’t matter cause we can do it without you. In fact YOU are more often IN THE WAY, disrupting the creative process. You don’t make anything. You don’t do anything. You just pass out money and that’s all. Another form of useless middle management.
Remember burger boy, a good upm shows a little respect and develops a good working relationship with the crew and in turn a good crew can help him get the same results for less money. Bad upm’s expect ass kissing and get overcharged at every turn. Then they wonder why they are out of money or over budget. You’re not managing McDonalds burger boy this is the big time. Well unless we’re on your shows, then not so much.
If asking the actors to consider people other than themselves is whining then you got me. Asking them to remember that in the worst financial crisis of our lifetimes with unemployment rates that rival the Great Depression conducting a strike that would cripple an entire industry might not be the way to go RIGHT NOW. Asking them to maybe WAIT till they renegotiate in a couple years when we hopefully are ALL on more stable ground sounds like a good idea. This isn’t the last contract negotiation EVER.
You know burger boy, if you weren’t such an asshole, I probably could help out. When I was in college getting my BFA (that means Bachelor’s of Fine Arts) I WAS in fact a line chef at 3 different Italian restaurants. I’m an awesome cook but sadly far above your obviously LOW standards. You want to hire a cranky fat hypocrite. I can’t help you there, 6′3″ 200# and I take care of myself meaning that I don’t eat that grease laden swill you push on people.
Burger boy, I must say in defense of all my brothers and the actors and anyone else in the industry that doesn’t have a degree.. FUCK YOU! Those GRUNTS keep you employed. All these people are deserving of respect. Some of the greatest artisans in the world and throughout history don’t have advanced degrees. That’s something you pick up in art history 101, most of you business types are lacking in that area of your education. It’s ok though, that’s part of why you don’t get invited to our parties, yeah… we hold it against you and laugh at you because of it, but you know how us artsy types are.
We all know that you’re scared of us. We can see it when you walk around the set, and we know that’s why you hide in your offices. Trust me.. it’s hilarious.. and we joke about that kind of stuff all day long.
John Q. Public’s post pretty much says it all about how non-industry people view what’s going on here. There’s no way you can make the general public support what you’re doing times being the way they are.
Burger boy I’m guessing there are not very many upm’s who brag about their fast food restaurant. Good luck with that you low rent piece of shit.. and all those cheap cut rate shows and reality series you work on and pay people 1/2 scale. Guys like you make us all look bad. Thank god for crap like the power rangers or you’d be out of a job.
Go back to the golden arches BITCH.
I think we can respectfully agree to disagree then. I can live with that if you can because, at this point, we may never know whether there would have been a vote for a strike authorization or not…or whether it would have passed. As things currently stand, I would imagine the new task force will go into talks next week with the producers looking to make as fair a deal as they can at this point and put this debacle behind us. No one was a winner here. Who knows if we get retroactive pay? I tend to doubt it. I think the best we can do is re-group, re-think and try again when we have mended our fences and got our act together. To me, this was a failure of leadership, pure and simple.
To ZACKERY and PETE: did Kate Walsh do something to you?!?
She’s not the only one who voted for this…c’mon! There’s no reason to be so bitter!
You can disagree RESPECTFULLY!