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The Screen Actors Guild National Board Of Directors issued a statement today about what its next steps will be. And the AMPTP immediately said it would not give SAG a better deal than the other four major unions. To clarify, the SAG National Board is asking for federal mediation to step in because the Hollywood employers are refusing to negotiate. 
Time will be allowed for that federal mediation to accomplish a breakthrough. The Board is leaving it up to SAG's national negotiating committee to determine if and when mediation becomes fruitless: if that point is reached, then the referendum seeking a strike authorization goes out to members. This process takes anywhere from 30 to 45 days, including three weeks for the ballots to come back to SAG. If the vote is yes to empower a strike by at least 75% of eligible SAG members who return ballots, this still does not mean a strike will be called. Because then it's up to the National Board to decide if and when to call for the work stoppage. In other words, Hollywood is still a long way from another strike. But the timing could threaten the Golden Globes and Academy Awards again. SAG's and the AMPTP's statements are below:
Los Angeles (October 19, 2008) – The Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors today passed the following resolution at its quarterly plenary in Los Angeles:
“In hopes of moving the Theatrical and TV negotiations forward, the national board hereby takes the following actions:
SAG will formally request a federal mediator be brought into the negotiations.
The Board adds four new members to the National Negotiating Committee, two from the Hollywood Division, one from the New York Division and one from the Regional Branch Division.
The Board authorizes a referendum and accompanying educational information be sent to the members requesting their authorization for the National Board to call a strike in the Theatrical and TV Contract, at such time as the Negotiating Committee determines in its sole discretion that the mediation process has failed.”
Adopted 96.72% to 3.28%
Approval of the strike authorization would require 75 percent approval of members who vote.
“We hope mediation will help move this process forward. This action by the board demonstrates our commitment to bargain with the strength of our unified membership behind us. Economic times are tough for all Americans, but we must take a stand for what is fair,” said Screen Actors Guild National President Alan Rosenberg.
“Our number one goal remains securing a good contract without a strike,” said SAG National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen. “I am pleased by the board’s strong show of support for the national negotiating committee and look forward to meeting with the federal mediator and the AMPTP committee as soon as possible.”
Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) negotiating committees met for 44 days of formal negotiations and have not yet reached a successor agreement to the TV/Theatrical Agreement that expired June 30, 2008.
The board further resolved to add four new members to the negotiation committee, two from the Hollywood Division, one from the New York Division and one from the Regional Branch Division.
The AMPTP responded:
The AMPTP has successfully negotiated four major labor pacts with Hollywood Guilds this year, and we would like to close a fifth with SAG. That said, there is simply no justification for SAG to expect a deal that is in excess of what the other Guilds negotiated in better economic times. No matter what SAG does - whether it be authorizing a strike or following a different approach -- it will not change the harsh reality that currently confronts our industry.
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Unbelievably stupid move by SAG’s board. Once again the rest of us will probably suffer through the Holidays while SAG waits to settle for no real gains just like the WGA did. Please don’t ask for solidarity in this asinine tactic, I’m all out and can’t afford any more of your bullshit.
399
Just stumbled on your website… glad I did…
Now is the time. We either stand up for ourselves, or we watch our profession become subject to the corporate overlords who have replaced the old-time studio heads who thought of actors as talking props. We must demand fair compensation, whatever the delivery system, and stop apologizing for asking to be treate3d with respect – and to these men (and some women too) respect, in Hollywood, always comes down to one thing: money.
Let’s go get what we need and what we deserve.
Now the housing market will really fall apart with all of the out of work actors. They’ll be plenty of great bargains available shortly.
What we have here is a case of the “pass-the-buck” SAG, with the Board and the NegCom flinging the strike vote authorization between each other like a hot potato. Someone, call the damn strike vote so this pathetic charade can end.
To our colleagues in the Screen Actors Guild: Strike or no strike, this sitcom staff writer supports you fully, even at the cost of another painful work stoppage, with humble gratitude for your support of the WGA in our own contract negotiations earlier this year.
This is an intelligent and measured approach to dealing with the issue of AMPTP recalcitrance. Good luck, SAG!
What a bunch of wimps, no balls to call a strike, no balls not to.
This is a smart move. With a strike authorization in SAG’s hands, the Companies will finally start to negotiate instead of stonewall.
Remember, a strike auth vote isn’t a strike, it’s a tool. Here’s hoping it knocks loose the giant stick up the AMPTP’s behind.
despite all the verbiage and missives the last year, things have stayed the same: SAG has no leverage and this story is another story that reiterates that unfortunate fact.
They are not striking and the producers have known it for the past 6 months.
I’ve been a SAG supporter through all this, but now I’m pissed. The hot potato a previous poster referred to is an excellent way to put it. A strike is clearly the next step if they’re not going to accept the deal on the table, so why won’t they pull the trigger? This latest move accomplishes nothing and is a complete waste of time. This is now officially a fustercluck.
America-and rest of the world markets-are in a recession. Now SAG might kill the movie business-one of the only businesses that did well during the great depression. It is incredibly inappropriate to negotiate more money for anyone at this time.
SAG looks every day more like a paper tiger. First, that ill-fated attempt to take down the AFTRA deal. Then, claims of “informal negotiations” that the AMPTP flat-out denied. Then, this “let’s all get along and go back to the table” move, to which the AMPTP basically said: “The final offer was exactly that: take it or leave it.” Then ANOTHER (de facto) strike threat. AMPTP called it a mistake but basically welcomed the authorization vote, which will negate whatever tiny leverage SAG has. Now this: let’s not go on strike, but go to a mediator. Otherwise – WE WILL STRIKE. And look at the AMPTP’s response: good luck.
I’m personally sick of the anti-studio rhetoric. Producers and studios and congloms all want theirs; labor wants theirs. That’s the nature of the thing, that’s why there are guilds. The fact is: SAG is refusing a deal with terms similar to those agreed by everyone else INCLUDING enough SAG/AFTRA members to nix that contract, if they really thought it was a bad deal. So SAG, go on strike, drive the industry into the ground, and see what happens when people stop watching scripted TV. It’s just ridiculous – you guys have practically lost, and a long time ago.
SAG’s got a big case of “Joe the Plumber” sydrome. They think they’re gonna make $250,000 a year and afford to buy the business but the reality is that they make closer to $40,000. They need to quit jerking off, sign the contract, and grow the fuck up.
The Writer’s Strike put a gaping hole in television. Last year’s “hot shows” (pre-strike) has seen its viewership dramatically decline (post-strike). If the actors go on strike, then that will put those TV shows in danger of losing their entire audience. This is not like the past where our entertainment options were limited. We have many more options now to keep us busy. A strike now will only hurt Hollywood. Joe six-pack will find an alternative to Hollywood entertainment – just like we did when the Writers striked last year.
Wake Up, Wake up, Wake Up. All SAG wants is a cut of the action. If the action is down the cut is down.Compensation is in direct relation to the companies compensation. It is not in any way a threat to business. On the contrary the threat to business would come should the studios force a strike. Being honest and fair now is the wise course for them to take.
Isn’t it interesting that those that work want to settle now and those that don’t work want to strike.
God bless America!
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. There is a worldwide economic crisis. Schwarzenegger just asked the federal government for 7 billion so California can pay it’s bills and SAG wants to call a strike. I keep hearing the word “fair” being thrown around. People are losing their homes. People are being fired (FIRED, not asking to stop working) from their jobs. Any of that sound fair? WAKE THE FUCK UP! Here’s the news… corporations fuck people over. That’s just the way it is. I know in the flowery world of acting these realities don’t apply, but to everybody else in the world… they do. If SAG wants to go on strike and win that extra 1/2 cent a download, then they are what everybody says they are… self-absorbed idiots.
I can’t believe the AMPTP is bragging about “successfully negotiating” a pact with the WGA. They extracted more than a pound of flesh from every writer for that one.
Come on, folks – stop ragging on SAG and actors – get it straight: THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORKING MEMBERS DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE. They get brainwashed and bombarded with all kinds of crap like: Pretty Please say YES to a strike authorization – it doesn’t mean we’ll strike BULLSHIT, and then they’re out on the pavement carrying a sign. The leadership is HUNGRY FOR ONE because they think it’s the only way they can stay in power when the truth is THEY WILL BE GONE AFTER ALL THIS DUST SETTLES. Run out of town on a rail. Who isn’t sick of all this crap?
The time for these jackasses to pull this shit was four months ago.
Oh, wait, I apologize, they were all preoccupied with deciding who, why, when, and how to run their fucking guild. Now that they’ve failed to figure that out, they can proceed with failing to get everyone back to work.
You blew it, assholes, because no one in SAG can seem to agree on anything. Twenty years from now no one will will have earned back in concessions what they’ve lost due to Allen & Rosenberg’s dilly dallying around, which I suppose they had no choice about since both will vanish back into obscurity as soon as this fiasco ends.
If the DGA or WGA had pulled this shit, they’d have gotten my cards back in the mail. The DGA came out in front of the issue and the WGA drew blood immediately and got straight to the point. Here’s my version of Rule 1: You can’t act like a pussy in a bar fight.
The studios are unfair. They have been for nearly a hundred years. I’ve had plenty of points worth plenty of nothing on plenty of successful pictures.
But guess what? It’s their money. You go drop a hundred twenty million dollars on the pass line and let’s see how generous you are with everyone else who doesn’t have any skin in the game.
If you happen to be a player, then go ahead and raise your own coin, develop and produce your own product and then go market and distribute it. And if you’re not a player and you simply can’t manage to earn a decent living being an actor, writer or director with the way things are at present, then go do something else. And let the rest of us go back to earning our living.
I can’t even pay attention to this bullshit anymore! SAG looks like that crazy girlfriend that you had in high school that broke up with you and then went fucking psycho and wants to get back together. To the majors: keep wearing the fucking pants and stand your ground. To SAG: seek help, you are delusional to think you’re going to get a BETTER deal than the other guilds. You want “FAIR??” – FAIR would be to get the same deal (or close to) what the other guilds received!
SAG should’ve flexed that trump card earlier, before the economy took a nosedive. Staging an actors’ strike now is going to hurt everyone in the long run.
In fact, SAG should flex that trump card more often to get the companies to cooperate. They’re not doing it enough, IMO.
I agree with Chris. This is beyond silly. They should have hired a mediator a year ago. The economy is crumbling, jobs are gone and reality tv is growing. You can’t blame the studios for everything. What are we talking about? Take the deal!
Just so we all know – the RBD and NY are the only reason a federal mediator may become involved. They were the two parties in the SAG plenary that would not budge. They are the ones who had a distinct lack of nerve. Hollywood wants to send out the strike authorization and get this thing over with. Anyone frustrated with the mediator thing needs to understand that.
To “Wake Up” -
The Screen Actors Guild was formed during The Great Depression.
The Negotiating Committee kicked it back to the Board because there are new Board members. They already had the authority to call for a strike authorization without Board approval, but they didn’t use that power in case the Restore Respect folks (oops, I mean Unite For Strength) might end up crying foul for not being consulted.
They’re setting up a situation where the AMPTP looks more and more like the bad guy to the actors to make a stronger case for a strike authorization. Or maybe, just maybe, the Federal Mediator will cause them to budge. It’s the AMPTP that stalled all these months, not SAG. These things sometimes take time. No sense rushing into something that’s going to affect WORKING actor’s lives for the next 20 years.
Bravo to SAG to hiring a federal mediator. Note to most of us, a federal mediator helps to get a deal done, but SAG couldn’t hire one last year because focus was on the AMPTP trying to kill television by forcing writers to strike which almost happened. At this time last year we were 15 days away from the writers strike and the AMPTP was trying its best to not negotiate a deal with the writers. Yes, SAG should have hired a federal mediator before this week, but I would have put the timeline somewhere in the middle of this past April.
Still hiring a federal mediator now is a classic example of being better late than never. It says two things, We want to get a negotiated deal done that doesn’t look like a last offer demand from the AMPTP, and we want to avoid a strike while trying to get that deal.
Nick Counter and his goons can be lucky that SAG isn’t requesting federal arbitration. Negotations haven’t occured since August 17 which was over two months ago and it is clear that, while the AMPTP companies would get a key concession, the arbitrator would rule in favor of SAG. This is a silly standoff that the AMPTP has to put an end to now. They can do that by pulling that final offer from the table and work with the mediator and SAG to get a deal done that benefits everyone.
This is just a supplement to my previous post but October 20 last year was a Saturday so there wasn’t any real strike news to report but Nikki did post this tidbit regarding the moguls wanting a strike.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/hollywood-moguls-sound-strike-happy-see-new-tv-season-as-dead-already/
This time around, I don’t think Jeff Zucker or NBC would want a strike due to the ratings that NBC is getting for SNL and maybe for 30 Rock this season.
Just to clarify something that Nikki stated in her story: SAG only needs a 75% “yes” vote of eligible members who respond to the ballot, not 75% of the entire eligible membership.
The decision to bring in national mediators is an excellent compromise, and it proves that the SAG negotiators are doing everything possible to avoid a strike. Some of you loudmouths bitch about the possibility of a strike, then you bitch about an alternative to that possibility. Tell me again what a great asset you are to this industry…?
Intelligent people know better. The current economy, which the AMPTP is now whining about, has absolutely nothing to do with contract negotiations. They’re obviously scared of a strike – and they should be. Their response to SAG’s statement make me laugh. A six year-old could have written a less whiny response about the dog eating his homework. The only “harsh reality that currently confronts our industry” is that management is attempting to break unions, motivated by greed.
We (SAG) had a great and positive national meeting today. Kudos to all of those who have given of themselves to do everything possible to move forward with the negotiations. As witnessed today, your membership is behind you all the way!
I think the Mediator move is a positive one, especially in light of the economy. It’s saying “hey we really don’t want to have to do that, let’s work this thing out”.
There is no “passing the buck” here, or hot potato as stated by earlier posters. It was wise and sound to get the temperament of the “new” national board before moving forward. It brings solidarity to the proceedings and shows that although a slight shift in the board makeup has occurred the core principles and the major sticking points are still what we are fighting for.
And, contrary to the poster above MM, who muses about 1/2 cent download extra, there is more important issues here than incremental increases (which technically for theatrical/tv production, these have already been agreed to). And contrary to mike e b who states “no one in SAG can seem to agree on anything”, I must respectfully disagree.
First, as passed (68-0) this summer and supported by the newest slate’s board members, the Board resolutions regarding SAG’s core principals state:
July 26, 2008:“It is a core principle of Screen Actors Guild— That no non-union work shall be authorized to be done under any SAG agreement and; That all work done under a Screen Actors Guild contract, regardless of budget level, shall receive fair compensation when reused.“
68-0, with support from the newest board members as well. Sounds like agreement to me.
So, with that, SAG is fighting principally on three major issues:
1. Force Majeure, a protection for actors held by contract to a suspended production, which has been in the codified language since 1937. The studios want to roll this back as they have stated and have been, so far, unwilling (save one company) to hold up to their word with regards to those casts affected last year.
2. Coverage on all new media productions regardless of budget level. SAG has stated they are willing to work out contract rates based on budget level and other provisions to make it work. SAG has been very successful in recent years in working with productions of varying budget levels. Sometimes, it’s not about money, but about basic protections for the actor. As we all know New Media isn’t going away, and it will within years become the main media. As evidenced by previous contracts, once you give up something, it is almost impossible to get it back. I mean, come one, are we really willing to allow Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros, Sony, etc to do NON-UNION work?!!. I for one cannot understand why the other unions don’t see this as a major issue.
3. For all work done in New Media, there should be a residual paid for re-use. Where is the stupidity in asking for that? Now, many people have argued there’s no money in new media at this point, no revenues are available to pay residuals. The producers have argued that they can’t have growth in New Media if they have to pay residuals at this time. Hogwash. It’s a percentage based system. It grows with the industry. Set a reasonable percentage and viola, it’s done.
Yes, the economy is rough, the stock market is nuts, the housing market is in ruins…these are short term issues. What SAG is doing is looking at the long-term bigger picture. Who wouldn’t want to negotiate in fatter economic times, but does that mean in leaner times we allow the AMPTP to take advantage and leverage us into non-union work and residuals that can’t buy dinner for one’s family? They don’t think we will strike. Pray we don’t have to. I stand firm and in solidarity with SAG.
Given the deep differences between the two parties which govern our Guild, I believe that this is a smart, bi-partisan compromise. The centrist New York Division called for a federal mediator several weeks ago. Membership First (M1) seems to have made a major concession to NY, the Regionals and the newly elected Unite-for-Strength (u4s) Hollywood Board members.
If the fed mediation plan doesn’t fly, then M1 can rightly say that the time is coming to lay the groundwork for a strike authorization vote.
What is also impressive to me is the instantaneous reaction of the AMPTP.
When L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa offered to facilitate negotiations during the writers’ strike, the AMPTP brushed him off without ceremony.
Today they wasted no time in blowing off the federal government. Did they weigh their response? Did they blink?
Is this their way of winning hearts and minds?
I think the Mediator move is a positive one, especially in light of the economy. It’s saying “hey we really don’t want to have to do that, let’s work this thing out”.
There is no “passing the buck” here, or hot potato as stated by earlier posters. It was wise and sound to get the temperament of the “new” national board before moving forward. It brings solidarity to the proceedings and shows that although a slight shift in the board makeup has occurred the core principles and the major sticking points are still what we are fighting for.
And, contrary to the poster above MM, who muses about 1/2 cent download extra, there is more important issues here than incremental increases (which technically for theatrical/tv production, these have already been agreed to). And contrary to mike e b who states “no one in SAG can seem to agree on anything”, I must respectfully disagree.
First, as passed (68-0) this summer and supported by the newest slate’s board members, the Board resolutions regarding SAG’s core principals state: July 26, 2008:“It is a core principle of Screen Actors Guild— That no non-union work shall be authorized to be done under any SAG agreement and; That all work done under a Screen Actors Guild contract, regardless of budget level, shall receive fair compensation when reused.“
68-0, with support from the newest board members as well. Sounds like agreement to me. (continued in next post)
As regards playing the trump card earlier – remember the AFTRA deal? That was seen as a de facto referendum on the deal. There are enough SAG/AFTRA dual card-carrying members that they could have easily voted down the deal. SAG likes to think that AFTRA stabbed them in the back, but the truth is: most of their members will take this deal. So there is no trump card – the margin to get a strike vote (I think the number is 75% of 120,000 members) is so much higher than it was to get the AFTRA deal shot down (I think that was something like 60,000 dual members). It’s more empty threats from Rosenberg and Allen, and the AMPTP has called their bluff.
SAG is poorly run. The union should have tried to settle long ago for a realistic agreement. To strike now would be disasterous for the industry and all involved. The WAG’s strike’s effect is still lingering over the community and if SAG strikes, the blow will have a negative impact for years to come.
The whole board should be purged.
From the Industrious Dung Beetle:
(The label “termite” is not intended as an insult. It’s a technical term from the field of union-busting. “Union-busting” itself is a crude phrase, though. Its practitioners, including termites, prefer “Winning Workplace Freedom.”)
I assume the following are Termites, working for Union Busters, Inc. Some may be paid professionals. Others may be auditioning for the role (often poorly) — think of them as apprentice Termites:
“will,” WGA Writer, “Sue West;”
“oy vey,” DGA BTL, Tom Ligon;
WayBelowTheLiner, stringfellow, AA;
Want To Keep Working, Brian, Bill Gray;
Transpo; Bye, Bye Hollywood; C.;
Mr. Eagle, andy, WTF;
Wake Up, Chris, Red Golde;
JD, LP, MM;
mike e b, SO OVER IT, Matt C and mary.
And so many more. You can probably discern other Termites, using your own detection skills. One reliable clue is the toxic level of spite.
If you want to read informed, rational analyses, then, in my opinion, you should look for commentators like mheister, Thomas Frank and Ace (when he/she is not flinging rude epithets).
Go to the following blogspot for an analysis of what Union Busters, Inc. has been doing to S.A.G. since the beginning of the writers’ strike:
http://www.USActorsOnScreen.com
The name of the essay is
“Reverse Engineering Reveals 5-pronged Plan to Cripple S.A.G.”
I posted it not long after the writers’ strike.
The more recent piece at the top of the blog page is called
“Judging Amy Brenneman.”
You’re welcome to post your thoughts.
Comment by Dave Clennon — October 19, 2008 @ 12:54 am
The mediator thing is a last ditch effort for the current SAG negotiating team to sign a contract with the AMPTP without completely being humiliated. To argue the point about whether SAG’s negotiating strategy was good or bad is ridiculous. It was clearly abysmal. The SAG team did not think long term before the contract was up and then, unsurprisingly, could not think long term after that. Obviously, with the WGA having sucked all the air out of the room (to little ultimate effect) the strategy should’ve been to sign a contract and then carefully plan for the next negotiation.
But SAG’s internal politics made such actual planning and strategy impossible.
Everyone argues about whether or not the economic slowdown should (in reality) affect negotiations. But the point is moot. SAG will not get 75% of a strike authorization vote and they know it. Even if they did SAG desperately needs industry and public support to successfully strike of which they will get absolutely none.
This is painfully to obvious to all except for “Ace” and a few other cheerleader types (God Bless ‘em…)
The AMPTP is obviously and clearly the bully here, but on SAG’s side this is why if you’re going to strike, you strike immediately. Otherwise you get caught in this limbo where everyone gets war weariness and nobody wants to pull the trigger. There’s been a defacto strike in features for the last 8 months anyway. On the other hand the studios seem almost gleeful over their inability to make movies, which more or less indicates the amount of confidence they have in themselves and their business models. Really, everyone here is just trying their hardest to kill the golden goose.
To “Chris” above:
*laughing*
“Empty threats”? “Bluff”? Sir, you are so misinformed, somebody ought to take your keyboard away from you. To wit:
The strike authorization: 75% of those who vote, not of the entire 120,000 membership body.
There are approximately 70,000 AFTRA members, approximately 40,000 of whom are also SAG members (primarily actors). The other 30,000 are DJs, game show hosts, newscasters, etc (some of whom are also card-carrying SAG members), and they all have an AFTRA vote as well. The contract “deal” with the AMPTP was fine with those other members as the particulars about income and residuals doesn’t apply to them. The AFTRA “referendum” passed – barely – because AFTRA wanted it to pass. Madames Reardon and Hedgepeth have other issues besides taking care of the needs of their membership. (Still, nobody has been able to tell me who counted those AFTRA contract authorization votes…)
And because of your lack of understanding on these issues, issues for which the numbers have been posted countless times, you’re obviously not paying attention nor are you a SAG member. Consequently, you would have absolutely no idea how many SAG members “would take this deal”. It’s not even “a deal” – it’s merely “an offer”, and it will not be accepted by SAG. This opinion has also been supported in so many ways. (I hope they printed a ton of copies of that offer, btw. WB could use an improvement in toilet paper quality in the restrooms on their lot.)
As Archie Bunker used to say, “Stifle yourself.”
If sag strikes you can say goodbye to any middle class in movie business.
Wow, good thing we’ve got a Federal Mediator coming in to solve this thing. I mean, it was so much help during the writer’s strike, there’s no way this plan can fail now.
come on sag. you should have had the strike authorization vote in hand when you started negotiating. what other leverage do unions have? all you’ve accomplished right now is a “de facto strike” that has cost all of us in the industry thousands of dollars. nothing has been accomplished and your credibility has suffered. you’re going to end up settling with nothing better than the final offer after causing financial ruin to all of us “below the line” workers. take the offer, get solidarity in your union and negotiate in 3 years when the worse financial crisis since 1929 has recovered. sometimes the cost of being right has to be considered for the well-being of the entire industry.
S.A.G. stands for “Stupid Assed Guild” How sad!
Did you hear that the studios want to give good quality cameras and equipment to college students and youtube types to make pilots? All nonunion new media of course – because the cost is under the amount the studios set for union work.
Writer, directors, crew, and actors, what are you going to do when these kids are taking your jobs?
Sounds like the networks have found the next best way to keep costs low while developing new shows after endless reality shows run out. Don’t worry, I’m sure there will some staff writing jobs available to work under one of these 19 year old showrunners to keep the low budget train rolling. Everyone else, good luck.
I guess we should spend more time going to those auditions for USC student films and scenes. Today’s “good will hunting for my directing class” will be tomorrow’s job offer. Still won’t be able to pay the bills, though.
Regarding joint SAG/AFTRA cardholders not voting down the contract. We all know not everyone votes in any SAG or AFTRA vote,no matter how important the issue, because of different reasons. So to say just because there are a large number of registered joint members they could have struck down the contract ratification is not taking into account that not all joint members actually voted.
I received the DGA Monthly Magazine four days ago. I read an interview with Brian Grazer, top independent producer, and one half of Imagine Entertainment, with his partner Ron Howard.This is a guy who knows as much about budgets in Hollywood and who gets paid what as anyone.
One thing stood out: Grazer, asked about the digital future and new media in general, says one major feature of it is:
“there would be less compensation for artists. It won’t limit artists. In fact, it will expand their possibilities for making things inexpensively. But overall, it will impact artists’ compensation in a negative way. So there could be less incentive for the very talented artists to continue to create original intellectual property. You might just go, ‘Jesus, if my movie’s going to be shown on a three inch screen, maybe I’ll just move to the desert.’ ”
Now, this is in THE DGA MAGAZINE – yeah, the same DGA whose President, Michael Apted was the first to accept the new media “template” that is now being forced down SAG’s throat, and yet, in their OWN magazine, one of the industry’s leading producers says openly that “hey, yeah, you can make stuff cheap (digital) but you’re not going to get paid much.”
Now, if anyone out there doesn’t see this as a warning shot off the bow of SAG’s future and the future of the middle class actor’s (let alone directors and writers) to make a decent living, then you’re just not paying attention.
Notice, Grazer says nothing about PRODUCERS loss of revenue, he only says artists – us – will just have to adjust to the new reality: non-union workers ALLOWED IN THE FIRST PLACE by Michael Apted and the DGA, then accepted by the WGA and AFTRA, making content for nickels, that the producers will then try to sell the living hell out of under this great new formula that pays actors shit.
Here it is, from the horses mouth, anti-SAG, pro-AFTRA shills. This IS the new world order, UNLESS SAG STOPS IT.
It is VITAL that SAG be the union, the ONE union, smart enough and with enough balls to INSIST that actors get tied into the producers profit stream for new media, from first dollar and first airing and that residuals be fair. This is all achievable via a simple percentage formula.
Brian Grazer is essentially saying: you are NOT going to be tied into OUR profit in the significant way you have been in traditional media. He’s TELLING us we’re screwed folks – but we’re NOT screwed yet.
SAG needs to do whatever is necessary to stop this union busting power play by the AMPTP in its TRACKS. Fine, try the mediator. However, does anyone out there think the mediator will be accepted by the AMPTP, and, if he/she is, does anyone think the mediator, suggesting a deal with any real upgrades for SAG at all, will make the AMPTP budge an inch?
That means a strike authorization, and if the threat of a strike isn’t enough, then an actual strike. It will devastate the industry, the producers know it, we know it – that’s why Peter Chernin publicly stated the other day that he thought a SAG strike is a REALLY BAD IDEA.
Yes – it is – FOR HIM.
Make no mistake – the AMPTP is shaking in their boots that SAG will have the balls to draw the line at this bullshit contract and strike if it needs to.
And Tom Ligon? the idea that you think you can speak for what the “overwhelming majority of SAG” will do about ANYTHING is a joke.
Hey Dues-Paying SAG Members:
You’re still not angry regarding the money YOU SPENT that went into the anti-U4S pamphlets? I heard they were mighty pretty, probably cost a nice dime to print.
And you’re not questioning how much of your dues money went into financing that ludicrous postcard mailer?
And nobody’s expecting the next round of missives, where SAG leadership is blaming the federal mediator for being in the pockets of big business?
Rosenberg & Allen have done a mediocre job of positioning themselves for a ‘Gee-Whiz, I wish it hadn’t come to this, but our hands are tied!’ party line for the past six months, and I’m disappointed in a fellow union for not smelling what they’re shoveling.
Keep in mind that it was SAG that turned down a LAST, FINAL offer (a three year old understands this concept, guys), then came crawling back, saying ‘Oh, no, we can really negotiate now.’ What had they been doing prior (except PISSING AWAY the money they require of their members?)?
Jesus. What a mess. And sorry guys, it’s time to quit pointing fingers and make a deal. Cut the crap.
SAG wake up. America is in a f**** recession. This is a short lived contract that will inevitably be renegotiated in better economic times. Calling a strike now will cripple the entertainment industry. It’s hardly on its way to recover from the WGA strike. there just isn’t enough coom ba ya for me to support another strike. I agree 100% w/ Red Golde re “Joe the Plummer”. SAG wake up. “There is simply no justification for SAG to expect a deal that is in excess of what the other Guilds negotiated in better economic times.” Alan check your ego at the bank door.
The only reason SAG is still playing games is because of the false promises and rhetoric that got their leaders elected in the first place. And none of them have the finesse or the guts to get out there and alter the expectations of the SAG membership.
The AMPTP’s patent response is hilarious.
Translation: “We dug our knee into the back of the other guilds until they capitulated. You shall fall as well, SAG! Oh and there’s this economic stuff, too, that we’d like to conveniently refer to also. We’ll use it as a shield to hide behind if anyone tries to call us on our brazen non-negotiable negotiations.
In the midst of yelling over the economy, how SAG has been run, when a strike should have been held, shills, who is rational, fair shares, etc., what sticks out to me, the average person, is that the last strike ultimately didn’t work. The authorization vote didn’t make the AMPTP “quake in their boots”. The strike itself dragged on while the sat back on unscripted tv and made idiotic statements blaming the SAG. Nobody believed them, but the longer everyone was out of work and the longer shows suffered, the further support dropped.
Say the SAG does strike. The AMPTP has even more resources this time, in the members of all those other guilds. The longer the strike lasts, the more impatient people will get, and they will lose the leverage of being “morally right in the public eye” as time goes on. In the end, the deal the WGA got wasn’t much better that what they were offered before their strike. Chances are that would still have been true if the strike had continued even longer.
I won’t tell the SAG what to do. But treating a strike as the ultimate power play that will make the AMPTP bow down has been proven to be a completely ineffective tactic. They have other resources. They will use those other resources, and everyone else will suffer. When it comes down to it, only a little bit is going to be gotten at a time. Yes, it’s unfair. But people in my area, who work at GM, strike over much worse conditions for much briefer peroids of time, and still see their jobs go overseas, aren’t exactly going to weep for SAG any more than they did for the WGA.
“I’m disappointed in a fellow union for not smelling what they’re shoveling.”
Lots of us fellows have been smelling it for years.
MF keeps saying: “Oh, that? That’s just a rat that died under the floorboards and we just have to put up with it for a while.”
Or: “That smell? Isn’t it great?”
Yeah, all of you blowhards can blow all you want; you can put words in our mouths; you can call us names; you can make up false arguments; you can point the finger of blame at SAG; you can recite the AMPTP’s talking points; you can malign good people doing a very good job in a very difficult situation; you can accuse SAG of any- and everything you like. But the plain, simple truth is that the SAG membership continues to show an OVERWHELMING amount of support for our board and our contract negotiators, as was witnessed by our recent national meeting and opinion mailer. We know that they know what they’re doing. Hell, even the incoming U4S people agree on the next step in negotiations. As does the entire SAG National Board.
But it has been interesting reading the negative comments! It’s easy to call the detractors “shills for the AMPTP” because their arguments are so not on point. Spin and lies (okay, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they’re just “uninformed”), accusations and scare tactics from people who can’t possibly be that ignorant. Because most of them can spell – and people who can spell just aren’t that ignorant.
And “Rabble”, your drivel about, “Keep in mind that it was SAG that… came crawling back, saying ‘Oh, no, we can really negotiate now“? Uh, no, wrong again. (And that’s exactly the point I made in the previous paragraph.) SAG never left the bargaining table to begin with – the AMPTP did. And if you knew anything about contract negotiations (which you obviously do not) you’d know that any “Last Final Offer” is rarely that. It’s called tactics, pal, and we’re not buyin’ it.
You people (detractors) just don’t get it – we don’t need your support or good wishes (not that you’re offering them). You can cry and piss and moan all you want, but at the end of the day SAG members will vote on SAG issues, not you (thankfully). And we already know how we feel. So, thanks for sharing!
When it’s all said and done and signed, these contentious months will have been worth it – even for our sister unions – as SAG will toe the line and lead the way into the future of unionized entertainment production.
It’s not just about “balls”, it’s about integrity. Where’s yours?
Dave Clennon wrote: “Membership First (M1) seems to have made a major concession to NY, the Regionals and the newly elected Unite-for-Strength (u4s) Hollywood Board members.”
Um, Dave… you might want to check in with your pals at MF. Any concesions made this past weekend went in exactly the opposite direction. MF did NOT have the votes to control that room. Period. They weren’t in a position to concede a thing.
Check it out. Then post your correction.
So Dave Clennon creates his own little blacklist of names he call AMPTP shill and union busters. Actually Dave, I belong to a REAL union IBT Local 399 and when we negotiate we actually know how to do it right. Sag’s so called negotiators are an embarrasment to all real organized labor. Your lame attempt to discredit opposing opinions through label is no better than what the GOP has done with the word Liberal – and at worst smacks of McCarthyism. Dave wants to be the shepherd leading the sheep who believe SAG’s negs can do no wrong and would lead the flock off a cliff rather than try to change views. Nice try asshole.
TY for the shout out Dave.
To reemphasize what SAG President Alan Rosenberg told the national SAG gathering Sunday, the moguls have every intention of entirely doing away with residuals. They also intend to exploit any low budget New Media exemption in a huge way.
Over the decades, SAG has fought very hard to win and retain residuals. Throughout the history of the guild, never has it agreed to allow signatories to employ non-union actors for principal work, in any medium, via any means of distribution, at any budget level. The moguls are demanding SAG roll back on the bedrock principles of the guild. Acquiescence to their demands would turn acting into a hobby for the middle-class actor, and more importantly doom the guild to abject powerlessness and utter irrelevance. In short, the moguls have made this the most important negotiation for SAG since Jimmy Cagney sat at the table for us.
Directors, writers, and some others also rely on residuals. And as I understand it, residual structures for the creative guilds help other unions in the entertainment industry as well. Every union relies on being able to set and enforce workplace rules to protect union jobs and the health and safety of union members. While the ball’s in SAG court, this is, in a very real sense, every entertainment industry union’s fight.
As Frances Fisher and others have pointed out, SAG got its start during the Great Depression. Actors are used to making tough decisions under perilous economic circumstances. And not to put too fine a point on it, but the entertainment industry typically does well during economic downturns – and did quite well during the Depression – by offering inexpensive high-quality escapist entertainment. The current economic situation looks no different for the moguls.
I am happy to see I am not alone in favoring whatever it takes to get the contract we need to keep us in our careers and our guild strong. It seems both major factions represented on the national and regional boards are in agreement, as are the overwhelming majority of SAG members.
By being calm, cool, and methodical, President Rosenberg and Executive Director Doug Allen have built consensus on what needs to be done. SAG’s even giving the AMPTP one more opportunity to come to its senses, by calling for mediation. If mediation works and we get a good contract, Mazel Tov! If not, SAG will have again proven its reasonableness in the negotiation process, having exhausted every avenue available before initiating a labor action.
Nobody – as President Rosenberg has said repeatedly – wants a strike. However, the moguls have made it quite clear the only place where they feel any pain is in their wallets. So if they don’t find religion, that’s where we’re going to have to hit them.
Hey Ace -
With the SAG mailer seeing a return around 10,000, less than 10% of SAG dues-paying members, I find it a bit absurd to say that SAG members are showing an OVERWHELMING amount of support for anything.
And you might want to check your facts. Well past the ‘Last, Final offer’ it was SAG membership that cried uncle and asked for a restart.
Lemme know how that Kool Aid tastes. Cheers, buddy.
Here’s exactly what happened, and what Jonathan Handel (no pro-MF shill he) confirmed on HuffPo Monday. MF outmaneuvered UFS as well as the NY and RBD boards. The mediator was a sop to the moderates, knowing full well that the chances of a mediator (especially if it’s the same guy who did the WGA, who has volunteered) bringing the AMPTP closer to SAG in any significant way – IF the AMPTP even accepts a mediator – are slim and none.
They know it, MF knows it, we all know it.
Next step, strike authorization. Get over it. There are some men (and women) of character, who take, say, Brian Grazer at his word (latest edition of DGA magazine – how ironic!) when he says “there will be a negative effect on artists compensation” in the new normal, new media deal that he, and the rest of the producers fully expect SAG not to have the balls to strike over.
So, oh, gutless ones – pay attention to the, you know, EMPIRICAL evidence thus far: 87%, 68-0, 97%
Those are the actual vote and poll numbers so far, so, either there is NOT this “overwhelming support not to strike” (according to the ultimate pro-AFTRA, anti-MF worm, Tom Ligon), or, the opposition is too frightened to vote their conscience. Which is it? And don’t tell me the election was a slam dunk for UFS – it was a razor thin majority, that, if the national board meeting last weekend is any indication (hint – it is) signified a humiliating defeat. It was 97% folks: try a mediator first to see if the mediator can get real concessions out of the AMPTP (he won’t, even if they accept him, which they may not) then, out goes the strike authorization ballot.
Forget all the non-SAG shill gutless assbags (that means you “transpo,” talk about assholes) – the anti-MF, pro-AFTRA crowd apparently has no clothes.
A strike authorization? Now that’s leverage. Think the producers, having green-lit all this new shit, want a SAG strike? Well, we’ll see. If the answer’s “yes” we’ll give it to them.
Open letter to SAG members (aka, the only people who get a vote):
Pardon me for stating something I believe should be obvious.
However, regardless of what your union-political stance is, we’re approaching a juncture at which only one of two things can happen — if a strike authorization vote goes out.
1) You can vote for strike -authorization-, which a) does NOT necessarily mean a strike, period; and b) gives us leverage (which may or may not be acknowledged in any real way by producers stepping back to the bargaining table).
OR
2) You can abstain from voting, which at least does not move us backward.
3) You can vote against strike authorization. We are not going backward in time, however, to a set of circumstances or options you may have preferred. No matter how you feel about it, ships you may have wished to have been on have already sailed, and voting “no” will not bring them back into port.
If you vote against strike authorization, you will be formalizing a lack of resolve to use the only power left in our arsenal. And if you formalize a lack of willpower, which is -exactly- what a “no” vote does, you can bet your literal bottom dollar that producers’ will be logical enough to attack our demonstrated weak point, and will offer even less than the current (IMHO, already unacceptable offer).
—
Years ago, we foolishly accepted a bum deal on DVD residuals that has screwed us ever since, on empty promises of “renegotiating later.” It never happened. We were suckered, and we’ve paid for it ever since through tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in lost wages.
Inevitably, the means of distribution are changing to digital/online. And 10+ (or so) years from now, what we negotiate now will be the -only- formula which is used to calculate our income.
Me personally? I’ll rot in hell before I go down the road without a fight to the impairment/destruction of -all- residuals, which many years is a majority of your income.
Remember the DVD debacle. This one is even higher stakes, at arguably the most crucial juncture since you’ve been in the business.
A “yes” vote might give us no more positive results in bringing producers back to the table. There is no certainty there.
But a “no” vote paints a HUGE go-ahead for producers to stick a stake in the heart of a huge portion of our income (residuals), and all but go for the “fatal blow” that some studio heads have all but said for several years they were waiting for the right time to hit us with.
I urge you to accept the realities that whether you like “where we are now,” that you accept the current state of affairs as the only one we have, and vote accordingly. Remember DVD’s and having been lied to about “renegotiating later” after accepting an awful offer early in the then new media. Don’t get fooled again.
In solidarity,
sterling
Thomas Frank wrote: “Here’s exactly what happened, and what Jonathan Handel (no pro-MF shill he) confirmed on HuffPo Monday. MF outmaneuvered UFS as well as the NY and RBD boards. The mediator was a sop to the moderates…
Just like Dave Clennon and Jonathan Handel, you’ve got it dead wrong. “The moderates” didn’t need a sop — and MF wasn’t in the position to give one. They didn’t have control of the room. Period. Check it out with anyone who was actually there and then post your correction.
How about me fool? I was there. The NY and RBD wouldn’t put out a strike authorization ballot UNLESS a mediator was tried first.
MF agreed to that because:
a: they are willing to try it but
b: they are entirely sure it won’t work, so
c: out goes the strike authorization
“didn’t have control of the room?” I don’t think “controlling the room was paramount. I think consensus was, and, you can go back over that final consensus by re-reading a,b and c above.
you’ll need to bring more than that to get the membership to capitulate to this union crusher of a deal.
fool.
Can we kick these jack-asses out of hollywood and start over with new talent? This is a fucking joke! Our country has been in a recession for months and many more months to come yet these dip-shits want to continue to be greedy(like always)instead of biting the bullet and realizing that they are asking for WAY too much right now when our economy is crumbling. We might just be getting out of this recession once this current deal(if they’d ever sign one) expires in 3 years. Then once the economy is recovering or thriving once again, then they can make more realistic demands. I wonder what percent of SAG members took part in these “bad loans” also. I think that would be a great stat to have.
To whoever said that none of the major studios should be allowing non-union work: sounds nice but if you really want this to happen, maybe everyone should be represnted by a union then. Where’s the union for pa’s? One NON UNION pa works harder than the whole SAG union as a whole. Unions work when represnted well. Unfortunately there are only a few unions in hollywood that actually WORK for the people in it. If you ask me, we should all be freelance. Why should there be a double standard and how can you justify it? Why should the rich get richer and greedier while they walk all over everyone else and want us to feel sorry for them? We should just elect all these greedy pricks to congress. They already don’t get anything usefull done(and when they do it’s too little) and all they care about is their own agenda.
$759/day + sweeteners, gimmie a break. FUCK SAG!!!!!
Common Sence
Thanks for the insight. Now go fuck yourself.
Just to clear things up, a federal mediator doesn’t mean that there will not be a strike vote. We are looking at a strike vote that will be almost 95% in favor of a strike. Face it, Tom Hanks has repeately said that he doesn’t want to strike. But there has been a de-facto strike, and that strike started July 1st when SAG’s current contract ended. Now Tom Hanks did say that he doesn’t want a strike but will vote for one if needed.
If there is ever a good time to strike, it is now. The networks and studios need a strike like Stephen Colbert wants to have a tea date with bears. If you watch the Colbert Report you will understand what I mean, but the point remains that they need to make money and the best way to do that is avoid another strike.
Thomas Frank wrote:
“MF agreed to that because:
a: they are willing to try it but
b: they are entirely sure it won’t work, so
c: out goes the strike authorization”
Wrong. MF agreed to it because they had no choice in the matter. Period. Just like they had no choice in the matter of the National chair of the commercials negotiating and W&W committees. Ring a bell, Mr. “I was there”?
A couple of things/observations occurred to me today – a little clarity, if you will.
First, consider what AMPTP execs must have told their negotiating lawyers from the very beginning: do everything you can to save us money (increase our profits), but don’t push it to a strike if it can be avoided. (Remember, nobody from either side wants a strike.)
With that thought in mind, consider that feature film production is not at all being stifled or delayed by the AMPTP companies. Which would suggest that they strongly don’t believe a strike is on the horizon (for whatever reason). True? True.
Which further suggests that no matter how strong (or weak) they assume SAG is, they would not allow a strike to happen – because they’d be royally screwed, seeing as how they have consciously positioned themselves to be extremely vulnerable to a strike with 100% production ongoing all over the world.
The AMPTP is not a bunch of fools. They know the offered contract is a crock of shit (as does everyone) no matter what they say, and they must know by now that SAG will absolutely not sign it, or any similar versions of it. It just ain’t gonna happen. Their prerogative is probably, “if we get any or all of these concessions from SAG, we win. If we don’t get them, we don’t lose – we just keep playing the way we’ve been playing for decades.” Can’t fault any negotiating body for that point of view. It’s just business (to them).
All of us can go on and on with our comments and opinions about SAG, but the bottom line is that the AMPTP says they don’t think SAG has the support to strike. Whatever. I don’t think that’s their true “internal” position. They say they’re playing it to the wall (strike) and beyond. But I don’t think they’re so irresponsible as to go that far because they know they’re too vulnerable, and they know the contract is bogus and could be changed before all hell breaks loose.
But it was worth a shot, huh AMPTP? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? Should the day/hour come when SAG leaves the negotiating table empty-handed, and instituting a “labor action”, your gamble will be tested.
And it won’t be SAG’s fault. And it won’t be pretty.
Fact is that the “mediation request/strike authorization-if-not-successful” consensus/compromise outcome of the recent SAG National Board meeting was the only way ANYTHING regarding this issue could come out of that meeting.
Membership First clearly did not have a majority in the room (especially true when one of them did not show and had not asked for a replacement, and one left early), but UFS/NY/RBD did not have a super-majority that could close debate. Also Rosenberg/Johnson ran the Chair and killed time in the usual way – so there really could easily have been nothing issuing from the NB on the question of strike authorization.
Now, that would have been okay with the MFs and their Pointing Fingers of Blame, but NOT okay with UFS, who have promised that Something Should Change.
Lest anyone doubt that UFS/NY/RBD had the majority in the room + resolve, you only need look – as has been mentioned here – at the key National Chairs that were elected & changed from MF to non-MF, and at the motion voted up along party lines (with MF being on the short end of the stick for the first time in years) that accepts the agreement to negotiate the Commercial Contract under Phase I conditions with AFTRA – along with a non-disparagement clause that sent some MFs running cursing from the room.
So MF no longer rules the roost, but still has political savvy and some important parliamentary toeholds that they exploit expertly.
Upshot -
The MFs will likely sabotage any mediation process, and the Neg Comm will put out a referendum to the members requesting a strike authorization. If it comes back below 75% in favor, SAG is hamstrung. If it comes back approved, SAG will strike. It will likely be a long strike and AFTRA will gain even more TV production than they have already.
Now, before anyone jumps on me, realize that I have always favored a strike authorization to be SENT OUT WITH THE PROPER TIMING, because I realize that a strike is the ultimate union weapon – second only to unity – but without unity, wise strike management and adept timing) a strike can be an dangerously blunted instrument.
Ah the smell of MF fear in the morning…
I was at the National Board meeting, and there were reasonable, calm people from NY, the RBD and some in Hollywood (even among the MFs). These people truly took leadership of the guild seriously and came to concensus.
The cackling bullies that did not get their way were spouting their typical elitist rhetoric and fear-mongering.
It was very entertaining…
to COMMON SENSE – the reason why what you will propose will never happen is because such strategies require longterm thinking. This has never been SAG’s strongpoint, partly because of our volatile politics. Other guilds have more stable boards and leaders which allows them the luxury of starting research and informal negotiations years early, this allows them to see the big picture, which allows them to use the current negotiation to tee up the next negotiation, etc.
Look at this message board, it’s all MF versus U4S versus NY, versus AFTRA, versus everyone else, etc. etc. etc. There are various reasons why SAG has this particular character but the upshot is that, despite all the blather SAG still has no contract, no discernable plan for getting a contract, and is actually willing to let their members work without a contract (think about that for a second) while everyone jockeys for internal political position…
Can we all stop spewing B.S. about any infighting within the SAG board? It ain’t happening.
The election is over; MF and U4S (as well as all of the independents) discuss and vote on all of the issues, and then come to the SAG membership body with one bilateral outcome and plan – as they did with the negotiation board’s recommendations this past weekend. There is no “MF against U4S” any longer. All of that was election campaign spin. I’m sure there are people in the meeting room who disagree on how to accomplish their goals. These people all want what’s best for SAG and they’re mature adults who sit around a table and present their ideas – as adults should. There is no “sabotage”, there is no “hamstrung”.
I don’t know who “Tom Ligon” is, but he went to a different SAG meeting than I did on Sunday. There was no “clear majority” of either MF nor U4S in the room because the SAG membership is over it – past it – and people like Tom, who continue to attempt to divide SAG have a different agenda than the other 99% of the membership. Tom, you don’t get to start a paragraph with “Fact is…” so that what you write becomes fact. It may be your opinion but stating baseless comments doesnt’ make something a fact.
And I’m offended that a so-called fellow SAG member would denigrate his own union in the first place. You’re not only a jerk, you’re ignorant as well. Using $3 words does not make you sound intelligent when your opinions and comments are so ridiculous.
And to “Still Confused” – you still are. Like Tom above, you state opinion as fact. “Long-term thinking” is, #1: why SAG has the pay and benefits we now do (long-term thinking from way, way back in the day); and #2: exactly why SAG has not (and will not) agree to the current contract terms.
People like you two (and “Transpo” and “Anonymous”) are why SAG supporters claim that you’re really shills for the AMPTP. You continue to spew unfounded bullshit – and to what purpose? You’re wrong (lying, misinformed, uneducated… whatever you want to call it) so often, and trying to keep dead issues alive, that it’s obvious you have some ulterior motives for doing so. It’s like you’re trying to break a chain with a dull axe and the stench of your sweaty desperation is getting, well, stinky.