Deadline SAG AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA is holding firm to its decision to shutter the local union office in Oregon despite the pleas of Oregon’s SAG-AFTRA members and the Oregon Media Production Association trade group. SAG-AFTRA announced a nationwide restructuring last month, resulting in the closure of 10 of its 25 offices and the layoff of 60 staffers. The union said the move was necessary to help correct a $6 million structural deficit. The trade group says closure of the union’s local office would be detrimental to the state’s film industry. SAG-AFTRA responded below:

“We appreciate our positive collaboration with our many partners across the country, including the Oregon Media Production Association. Our members live and work daily in areas throughout the nation and globe, and we will never be able to establish or maintain brick-and-mortar offices in all of these locations. Despite this, and whether or not we have a physical office in a particular locale, we are still responsible for enforcing our contracts, and ensuring that claims and payments are made to our members. This restructuring effort focuses our staff in 15 major media markets around the country, and allows us to provide better and more effective services to all members, wherever they work. That is our goal and, with a better alignment of our limited resources, we expect to deliver on this goal more effectively as we move forward. We are responsible for enforcing our contracts, ensuring that claims and payments are made, and supporting our members.”

The SAG-AFTRA National Board also said today it received news about the progress of the SAG and AFTRA pension, health and retirement plans merger – but provided no details (again) to members:

The Board received a report

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The SAG-AFTRA National Board also today approved the layoff of 60 staffers beginning in May as the organization shutters 10 of its 25 offices. This reduction of its geographical footprint is surprising, considering that current SAG … Read More »

SAG-AFTRA has named Susan Nelson of Vernon, CT its new Executive Director for its New England local. Nelson assumed her new position on Friday. Since 2008, Nelson has served as counsel to the Connecticut State Employees’ Association, SEIU … Read More »

And the needless secrecy continues. No details about the package of proposals for commercials negotiations starting February 14th in NYC. No details about the progress of merger efforts between SAG’s and AFTRA’s health and pension funds. Here’s the news release:

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK (Feb. 2, 2013) – The National Board of Directors of SAG-AFTRA met in a scheduled one-day video plenary this weekend at both the James Cagney Board Room in Los Angeles and the Leon Janney Board Room in New York.

The Board approved a package of proposals for commercials negotiations presented by Assistant National Executive Director for Contracts Ray Rodriguez. The proposal package was recommended by the W&W Plenary Committee and Commercials Negotiating Committee.

National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator David White said, “While there are difficult issues to negotiate ahead, we anticipate a productive dialogue with our bargaining partners and expect a result that is positive for our members.”

Negotiations with the Joint Policy Committee (JPC) of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) commence on Feb.14 in New York. Additional reports were given by Co-Presidents Roberta Reardon and Ken Howard, as well as National Executive Director David White. The board also received a report on governance matters.

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New York stage, film and TV actor Martha Greenhouse, who served as a SAG and AFTRA leader for more than four decades, has died. Greenhouse passed away Saturday at the age of 91, according to a statement from SAG-AFTRA. Greenhouse appeared in many plays on and off Broadway, including Summer Brave; Dear Me, The Sky Is Falling; and Jose Quintero’s Our Town. Her TV and film credits included Law & Order; Ryan’s Hope; The Jackie Gleason Show; The Stepford Wives; Car 54, Where Are You?; Woody Allen’s Bananas; and the original production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Greenhouse joined AFTRA in 1941 and Screen Actors Guild in 1955, serving five terms as the president of AFTRA’s New York Local, from 1977-1982, and two terms on SAG’s National Board, from 1981-87. More recently she served as an AFTRA Foundation Board member and was president of the AFTRA Heller Memorial Foundation for more than a decade. She also served on the board of the N.Y. Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was an AFTRA representative to the Associated Actors and Artistes of America. Read More »

More than eight months after the two unions merged, the Los Angeles Local of SAG-AFTRA is holding its first membership meeting tonight. As Deadline previously reported, one of the items on the agenda is a report on the melding of SAG and AFTRA’s Health and Pension funds. Only members in good standing are permitted to attend the 7 PM meeting at Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Los Angeles co-presidents Gabrielle Carteris and Ned Vaughn will co-chair the meeting and take questions on the benefit plans as well as the 2013 commercials contracts talks.

Related: Longtime SAG P&H Plan Manager Exits Read More »

Marianna Edwards has left her position as manager of the SAG Producers Pension & Health Plan, Deadline has confirmed. “Marianna Edwards is no longer working here,” a SAG P&H Human Resources official said today. In fact, … Read More »