Friday, May 29, 2009

SAG ANNOUNCES ONLINE STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY

NEWS: SAG PRESS RELEASE

Alec Baldwin, George Clooney, Sally Field and Tom Hanks Sign Statement of Support for a YES Vote on the Tentative TV/Theatrical Agreements

Los Angeles, (May 29, 2009) - Screen Actors Guild today announced the names of 500 members who are among the first to sign SAG’s new “Statement of Support” in securing ratification of the tentative TV/Theatrical agreements. The signers include Academy Award™ winners George Clooney, Sally Field and Tom Hanks.

SAG National Board Members including Adam Arkin, Amy Brenneman, Morgan Fairchild, Dulé Hill, Ken Howard and Kate Walsh signed the statement. Former SAG President Melissa Gilbert signed, as did SAG 2nd VP Sam Freed, SAG 3rd VP David Hartley Margolin, and other notable actors such as Alec Baldwin, Ed Begley Jr., Jane Curtin, Mike Farrell, Patricia Heaton, Kathy Joosten, Rob Lowe, Ian McShane and Sam Waterston.

The SAG “Statement of Support” reads:

“I support Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors and negotiators, and wholeheartedly recommend that SAG members VOTE YES on our tentative Television and Theatrical Contracts. The agreement provides important gains for members across the country, including a 6.5% increase in wages, additional union jobs for background actors in television programs and motion pictures, increases in major role performer payments, first time ever payments for programs streamed on the Internet and many other protections and provisions for new media. It’s time to put our industry back to work. I urge you to VOTE YES on this contract.”

The SAG.org website now features video testimonials and topical messages from Arkin, Brenneman, Hanks, Walsh and other members prominently displayed in a homepage video viewer. These videos can also be seen on SAG’s YouTube channel. Additional videos, including a message from Sally Field, will be added soon.

Initial signers of support include:
Amy Aquino
Adam Arkin
René Auberjonois
Dylan Baker
Kathy Baker
Alec Baldwin
David Alan Basche
Ed Begley Jr.
Alan Blumenfeld
Bruce Boxleitner
Amy Brenneman
L. Scott Caldwell
Gabrielle Carteris
George Clooney
Jack Coleman
Stephen Collins
Peter Coyote
Ellen Crawford
Ashley Crow
Michael Cudlitz
Steven Culp
Jane Curtin
Tim DeKay
Stacy Edwards
Morgan Fairchild
Mike Farrell
Sally Field
Kate Flannery
Kat Foster
Sam Freed
Kurt Fuller
Victor Garber
Lee Garlington
Jason George
Melissa Gilbert
Christopher Gorham
John Glover
Arye Gross
Annabelle Gurwitch
Tom Hanks
Mariette Hartley
Patricia Heaton
Dulé Hill
Judith Hoag
Ken Howard
Brian Howe
Gregory Itzin
Kathryn Joosten
James LeGros
Rob Lowe
John Carroll Lynch
Wendie Malick
Camryn Manheim
David Hartley Margolin
Ian McShane
Kathleen Noone
Mitch Pileggi
Robert Pine
Jason Priestley
Jeremy Ratchford
Pamela Reed
Mitch Ryan
Chris Sarandon
Rafael Sbarge
David Shatraw
Bill Smitrovich
Stacey Travis
Ned Vaughn
Marcia Wallace
Kate Walsh
Sam Waterston
Mykelti Williamson

Monday, May 25, 2009

SAG: "Don't be tricked into voting against the TV/Theatrical Contract"

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE FROM THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD:
Don't be Tricked into Voting Against the TV/Theatrical Contract

Some members are trying to take our union down and continue to circulate misinformation about our tentative agreement.

Don’t be fooled into voting down a good deal, with real gains for actors.The opponents would like you to believe they have a "plan" if this agreement is voted down. They've never actually said what that plan is, and for the last year, their plan failed miserably. You lost jobs, wages and maybe even your health coverage.· After a year of negotiations and 11 months of working without a contract, we finally have a good deal.· After losing wage increases of $85 million over the last year, actors and their families need this deal now.· We need the pay raises, added residuals, better benefits, and protections for the future offered by this contract.WE have a plan – to approve this contract, get our raises, rebuild our union, and restore union pride.

Just ask yourself if it’s smart to say no to a deal with real, solid financial gains for SAG actors. After a year working without a contract… is that really smart?

A YES vote is the smart vote.

So, when you see negative attacks launched by the opponents of this deal, ask them: What’s the alternative? They won’t give an answer, because they don’t have one.

Click www.sag.org/sag-tv to see what working SAG actors think on SAG TV: “What's the Alternative?”Vote YES today and mail your ballot.Go to www.sag.org for the facts. SAG’s National Board majority knows what the alternative to a YES vote means. And they want you to know, too.For more detailed information regarding the TV/Theatrical tentative agreements, visit the Contract Center on the SAG website at www.sag.org or email your questions or comments to Contract2009@sag.org.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

SAG/AFTRA OVERWHELMINGLY RATIFY NEW TV/RADIO COMMERCIALS CONTRACTS

NEWS--SAG PRESS RELEASE

Los Angeles (May 21, 2009) —In nationwide voting completed today, members of the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have overwhelmingly approved new three-year successor agreements to the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Television Commercials Contract and the2006 AFTRA Television and Radio Commercials Contracts .

The memberships of AFTRA and SAG voted 93.84% percent in favor of the new agreements. Approximately 132,000 members of the unions received ballots, of which 28% percent returned them. The final vote was certified today by Integrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in Everett, Washington.

The new agreements cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet, and new media. The unions estimate that the three-year increase, which is retroactively effective to April 1, will generate more than $108 million in member earnings, including approximately $24 million in increased contributions to the SAG Pension & Health and AFTRA Health & Retirement plans. The total combined value of the AFTRA and SAG contracts is projected at more than $3 billion over the three-year term of the agreement for working performers, including actors, singers, dancers, choreographers, stunt persons, and extras.

The unions also successfully established a first-ever payment structure in commercials for the Internet and new media. The unions affirmed their jurisdiction over commercial work made for the Internet in 2000, and new media formats in 2006. The new payment structure goes into effect in the third year of the contract.

Additionally, the new contracts contain an agreement outlining terms for a pilot study to test the Gross Rating Points (GRP) model of restructuring compensation to principle performers, as proposed by Booz & Co. The two-year pilot study will be conducted by a jointly retained consultant engaged by the unions and the industry. The study is expected to be paid for by grants from Screen Actors Guild-Industry Advancement and Cooperative Fund (IACF) and the AFTRA-Industry Cooperative Fund (AICF).

“I am pleased that SAG and AFTRA were able to work together to reach an agreement that will benefit actors who work in the advertising industry,” said SAG National President Alan Rosenberg.

Praising the successful ratification, AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon observed, “I am pleased that our members have ratified these new television and radio commercials contracts. These new agreements provide significant increases in payments to working performers now—a major achievement in a severely depressed global economy—and the contracts will guarantee our continued participation in this important area of work as it evolves in response to consumer tastes and trends affected by the changing landscape of digital technology.”

“We have enormous power when we negotiate jointly and it put us in a great position from day one,” added Sue-Anne Morrow, Screen Actors Guild’s national chair of the SAG-AFTRA Joint Commercials Negotiating Committee. “Achieving a minimum for ads made for the Internet and new media was a huge win. It was time to insist that actors be paid fairly for their exposure in these developing areas and members clearly approved through their overwhelming votes to ratify.”

The pact with the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies goes into effect retroactively to April 1, 2009, and will remain in force until March 31, 2012.

SAG and AFTRA members voted on the tentative agreement that had been reached with the advertising industry on March 31 and overwhelmingly recommended by the SAG-AFTRA Joint Board in a meeting on April 18. Ballots were mailed April 30 to all eligible members in good standing of either union.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

ED ASNER CALLS FOR CREATION OF NEW ACTORS UNION IN HOLLYWOOD

MEMBERSHIP FIRST'S ED ASNER SPOKE AT A RALLY IN GRIFFITH PARK IN LA ON MAY 17 AND CALLED FOR MEMBERSHIP FIRST TO CONSIDER BREAKING AWAY FROM SAG AND CREATING A NEW ACTORS UNION IF THE TV/THEATRICAL CONTRACT IS RATIFIED BY MEMBERS.

"PIGMIES OF THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD" IS HOW ED ASNER, A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, DEFINED THOUSANDS OF WORKING ACTORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

THE FORMER SAG PRESIDENT SAYS "HE HAS NO BIG SOLUTIONS" BUT URGES MEMEBERSHIP FIRST PARTISANS TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TV/THEATRICAL CONTRACT.

Below is the entire explosively divisive speech made by former SAG President Ed Asner at Membership First's "Vote No Rally" in Griffith Park on May 17, 2009.

ED ASNER (into bullhorn): "Does this work? I wish I was. (Laughter). Uhhh…I understand that, what is it, on the 21st? Uh..Mr.—Mr. White, is going to deliver a (Off: "Hang the white guy!")…deliver a…(Off: "Traitor!")…a considered opinion as to why we should okay this contract. And, ah, I gather you'll all be there to help him explain (Off: "Oh yeah!") and to delineate and—uh—show people how we'll benefit in future years from this great contract.

I am merely here to add to all the other good people that talked to you today,and to say that it is the beginning of the end if we sign this contract. It may well be the "end of the end", I don't know. There's a Churchill-ian phrase for that (Off, female voice says something in Italian). What she say? (Off: malevoice "We just gotta defeat it!") Oh! Well! Defeat it! Yes!

But we are surrounded by the pigmies of the entertainment world. We're surrounded by New York, and its little people branches and it—it's an enormous uphill fight that we have to fight, to win this battle.

WE –control –and inspire the working actors in this business. We are Hollywood. Hollywood is the heart and soul of this business (applause). And I really don't have—you've heard me speak many times in the past—I don't have any big solutions or hopes, or resolutions, but I call upon you here today, that if they defeat us in this contract, that it is up to all of us—all of us—to go out and create a new union to believe in. Because these other bastards will have betrayed us. We will have to fight for what WE want, for ourselves, our children, and the future and dignity of screen-actors in Hollywood.

You are Hollywood. Don't let them betray the principals by which our union has existed. It began in Hollywood, and prospered in Hollywood and the moguls respected it. Now these moguls are dirty, shorted—tramps. They do not believe in anything in concerning—they certainly never held down a job. Other than being a mogul. It is up to us to restore the dignity that the former moguls allowed; the Lew Wassermans in this town. It's up to us to find those people to control and not let science run away with the Igers and the, uh, Peter Chernins and the ,uh, Les Moonves, and the Sumner---what ever the hell his name is---Redstone! What a strange name for a Jewish man! (Laughter).

We have to fight them here and now. We have to re-create Hollywood, if necessary, if National SAG betrays us with this contract.Remember that. Think about it. Think about how to do that. I thank you for letting me speak." (Applause).

end transcription

Friday, May 8, 2009

SAG TOWNHALL MEETINGS IN HOLLYWOOD AND NEW YORK: VOTE "YES" ON THE TV/THEATRICAL CONTRACT

SAG NEWS: A Letter from David White:

As you know, the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors voted April 19, 2009, to approve and recommend to members, new, two-year successor agreements to the 2005 Producer-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement and 2005 Screen Actors Guild Television Agreement.



Ballots will be mailed to all eligible members on May 19, 2009. Ballots must be mailed in the return envelope provided and received at the Everett, WA, post office box no later than 5:00 p.m. (PDT) June 9, 2009. Ballots received after this deadline, or at a location other than the post office box, will not be counted.



We are holding member informational meetings so that you can hear about the tentative agreement and ask questions. Member informational meetings are scheduled for Hollywood and New York as follows and will be announced for Branch locations next week.



HOLLYWOOD

Thursday, May 21, 2009

7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Renaissance Hollywood Hotel

Hollywood Ballroom

1755 N. Highland Ave.

Hollywood, CA 90028



PARKING: No-host self parking at Hollywood & Highland – validation available at the Hollywood & Highland complex: $2 for 4 hours when you are validated in any shop, restaurant or theatre that is part of the mall. Guild not responsible for illegally parked vehicles.



NEW YORK

Monday, June 1, 2009

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Directors Guild of America

110 West 57th Street (between 6th & 7th Aves.) New York, New York



Unfortunately, no guests will be allowed. Parents/guardians of younger performers under 18 years-old are welcome. PLEASE BRING YOUR SAG MEMBERSHIP CARD FOR ADMITTANCE (paid thru April 30, 2009). For more information call the National TV/Theatrical Contracts Hotline (323) 549-6665 or email contract2009@sag.org.



Member informational meetings are also planned for Branch locations across the country. More information on Branch member informational meetings will be available shortly.



Please plan to attend the member informational meeting in your area to get important facts regarding the tentative agreement. Screen Actors Guild negotiators, national board members and staff experts will be on hand to provide a thorough overview of the tentative agreement.



You can also find more information on the upcoming referendum, including details of the tentative agreement, by visiting the TV/Theatrical Contracts Center at www.sag.org or by emailing contract2009@sag.org.



We know how important this contract is to all Screen Actors Guild members. We urge you to stay informed by visiting www.sag.org often, attending the member informational meeting in your area and contacting us with questions and comments.



Watch for your ballot which is mailing May 19, 2009, and when you receive it, vote yes and return your ballot right away. Don't delay, ballots must be received by June 9.



In unity,



David P. White

Interim National Executive Director



John T. McGuire

Chief Negotiator



Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors Strongly Recommends your “Yes” Vote on this contract. Let’s get back to work with a raise.