Guild will host Dec. 3 discussion of technique and its impact on actors.
Statement from Members of the New SAG Board Majority, Feb. 3 2009
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Slideshow
The Hotel Bel-Air has undergone a lot of changes over the years, but it's in for its biggest face-lift via a two-year renovation. Here is a collection of then and now photos.
Hollywood, CA - On Tuesday, February 3rd, the National President of the Screen Actors Guild Alan Rosenberg, together with National 1st Vice President Anne Marie Johnson and SAG Hollywood National Board Members Kent McCord and Diane Ladd attempted to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) against their own Guild in order to halt the resumption of negotiations with the AMPTP.
The order was denied by a Los Angeles County judge due to technicalities in its filing, but the group plans to re-file on Thursday, February 5th.
The effect of the TRO has been to chill the AMPTP and SAG's return to the table, led by its duly-hired interim national executive director, David White, and 40+ year SAG staffer, John McGuire who has successfully negotiated over 30 contracts for the Guild. The return, after many months' stalemate, was made possible by the hire of Mr. White and by the assignment of Mr. McGuire to the task of completing the TV/Theatrical negotiations. Immediately upon hearing of the TRO, the AMPTP refused to re-enter the process.
As SAG national board members and as rank & file union members, we are stunned that any elected union official would take steps to halt contract negotiations of any kind. Such a brazen attack by nationally elected union leaders on the very foundation of collective bargaining -- that of employers and workers meeting together to arrive at an agreement acceptable to both -- is unprecedented in the history of the American Labor Movement.
Members from all three Divisions of the Guild have expressed their displeasure at today's events.
"This action is just one more irresponsible mis-step by the Hollywood Membership First faction," said New York's Sam Freed, SAG 2nd National Vice President. "They are so desperate to hold onto their power that they are willing to burn down their own house."
Former Hollywood National Board Director Tess Harper agrees: "These actions only hurt SAG. What our members need is a contract....now."
SAG Chicago Branch President and National Board Director Todd Hissong concludes, "These individuals care more about winning fruitless political battles than advocating for the welfare of our members."
We wish to assure our members that the new majority of the SAG National Board and National Staff will continue in our efforts to resume these negotiations as soon as possible so that we may deliver an equitable contract for your approval.
Comments
Gregory B Says
If you loved the honesty and straight forwardness of the Bush/Cheney Administration, I fully appreciate why you would love Rosenberg/Allen.
Hollywood Actor Prep Blog Says
Unfortunately, the average SAG member doesn't know from "United For Strength", or "Membership First"; nor even about AFTRA, and especially the terms of the contracts.
The members that DO vote, tend to vote for the people they recognize. It's a the way SAG voters have always voted.
Do you really think they voted for Melissa Gilbert over Valerie Harper, because they thought she would be better for the union, politically? A better leader? No. They just were more familiar with "Little House On The Prairie", than they were with "Rhoda". "Little House", simply, was a more contemporary show.
Both sides within SAG are arguing that the other side is just making problems and getting in the way of progressing forward. "United For Strength" blames Doug Allen for the skimpiest contract ever offered. By the AMPTP. As if it's his fault that the AMPTP's "Final Offer" was so appalling.
Maybe "United For Strength" could explain to all of us, what exactly they DO want. (Besides making nicey-nicey to everyone, except for Alan + Allen.)
I wish I knew. Sincerely, I do. So do most actors.
I can't get anyone to explain it to me, and I have contacted many actors that I know that claim to be on their side.
Where in the press do they explain it, as well.
They call themselves 'the majority', but majority-on-what, specifically?
It can't be about the contract; no one thinks that's any good. (Not even my small village family's doctor!)
I know everyone enjoys making fun of Alan Rosenberg and Doug Allen, but I can identify their stand. And it appears to be not "hardliner", but in fact, rejecting a bad contract. A poverty-creating contract. And... aren't they, therefore, doing their job, defending actors from exploitation?
What is United-For-Strength's action? It's all reactionary. Unless you count the desire to Unite-With-AFTRA, which is where their name comes from. Wasn't that before AFTRA mutinied, by accepting the really terrible deal for their actors??? (And wasn't it self-serving, just to become the more dominant union, after always being the "second-string" union? And, to snag SAG's jobs, while SAG was holding out for a better life, for actors??)
So, is United-For-Strength still claiming THAT is best, illogically?
I really do want to know.
Please ask them.
And, ask them to publicly explain, because no one gets it. They appear clueless to what the members really think. They just keep on claiming they are "the majority". The majority of what??
And, also, please open their eyes to the truth about the members. Members don't care about any faction at all. Not really.
The members trust that the people they elected, at SAG, will take care of them.
Is that what United-For-Strengths doing? It appears they don't see "the forest for the trees", and --the trees that they are stuck on, well, what are they? What are they fighting for? (NOT "AGAINST", I don't mean...)
What exactly are they fighting FOR? And, on whose behalf?
PS That's also why there aren't many comments here. There is nothing clear enough to comment about. Other than, that they are reactionary.
MV Says
I think you are all greedy and should be ashamed of yourselves. You are supposed to be the creative actors who love what they do and need to stop being so greedy at a time like this. I am a below the line Iaste member and don't make the money you so called actors are so greedily getting in your contracts. I know what this is all about, this is the "has been" actors running out of residual welfare and looking to get more, why don't you go out and find a new manager, or pound the pavement looking for work like the rest of us. We are so sick and tired of you actors taking more than you are really worth. You are just like the rest of us, we come to work and put in many more hours than you do at times on the set, and you just, show up go into make- up and hair and sit in your trailers until you are called to set, you don't even stand in front of the cameras for long periods of time, you have stand-ins doing that. A lot of you people don't even acknowledge anyone else except yourselves. We are all suffering financially, waiting on all you assholes to figure out, what is really of importance. How about feeding your families, or paying your mortgages, or how about the rest of us that make the small shit happen on set, while you get primped? How about us???? Oh I forgot you really don't give a shit about anybody else except yourselves.........
SAG Says
Allan Rosenberg was voted in by us, the SAG members, to defend SAG against the AMPTP and it's own union members like you Morgan. The MAJORITY of SAG members are in the Hollywood DIvision of SAG with about 74,000 members. That MAJORITY voted to keep Membership First in control of that division. The vast MAJORITY of Hollywood SAG members Support MF and Rosenberg. The majority of the SAG 120,000 members support MF and Rosenberg and they wlll support him now as well. You Unite for Strength/ Moderates did not win a majority of the seats in the last election. You won some. And you used the "some" seats you have and aligned with other independents to barely, 53% vote, to remove Doug Allen and the negotiating committee. Barely. But the MAJORITY of SAG membership wanted MF in control of the Hollywood Board that represents 74,000 actors. Keep going MF and Allan Rosenberg ! ! Keep fighting ! ! ! Remember the Civil War in the United States. Lincoln had great opposition within his cabinet and with the South. Great battles occured. It was worth the fight. Justice wil prevail for Membership First and all of the MAJORITY of SAG members that support this cause. We will overcome. We will prevail.
Anonymous Says
The Civl War in the USA brought about the most needed and necessary changes in the United States today. Allan's "Civil War" will bring about the most needed and necessary changes and will benefit all actors and labor unions in the future.
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