SAG INTERACTIVE MEDIA CONTRACTS MEETINGS THIS WEEK: OCTOBER 26 AND 27, 2009

Start: 10/26/2009 - 2:00pm
End: 10/27/2009 - 9:00pm

Screen Actors Guild to Hold Ratification Meetings in Four Cities for the Purpose of Voting on the Tentative Deal Between Producers and Screen Actors Guild Regarding the 2009 Interactive Media Agreement

You are invited to attend the following Ratification Meetings to VOTE on the Tentative Agreement reached between the Producers and Screen Actors Guild regarding the 2009 Interactive Media Agreement, which covers video games.

Please inform your fellow union members who work under this agreement about this important meeting. Participation is limited only by fire department regulations.

Date: Monday, October 26, 2009

San Francisco: 2-3:30 p.m. PDT
Regus Center
One Market, Spear Tower, Suite 3600
San Francisco, California 94105
RSVP via email at SFRSVP@sag.org or by phone at (415) 391-7510
Use of public transportation is recommended for this location

New York: 7-8:30 p.m. EDT
Leon Janney Board Room
360 Madison Ave, 14th floor
New York, NY 10017
RSVP to Courtney Doherty via email at cdoherty@sag.org or by phone at (212) 827-1402

Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Chicago: 7-8:30 p.m. CDT
McCorkle Court Reporters
200 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60601
RSVP to via email at ChicagoRSVP@sag.org or by phone at (312) 867-2547

Los Angeles: 7:30-9 p.m. PDT
James Cagney Board Room, ground floor
5757 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
RSVP to Mary Hashimoto via email at mhashimoto@sag.org or by phone at (323) 549-6453
Parking will be validated.

All paid-up SAG members in good standing can attend. Unfortunately, no guests allowed. Parents/guardians of young performers under 18 years-old are welcome. PLEASE BRING YOUR SAG MEMBERSHIP CARD FOR ADMITTANCE (paid thru October 31, 2009).

SAG PUTS JOHNSON BACK IN THE VP SEAT

NEW YORK'S MIKE HODGE 2ND VICE PRESIDENT

FROM SAG:

SAG Division Elections Held in Hollywood and New York
Hollywood Board of Directors Re-elects Anne-Marie Johnson 1st Vice President;
New York Board of Directors Elects Mike Hodge 2nd Vice President
Los Angeles (Oct. 7, 2009) – The Screen Actors Guild Hollywood Division Board of Directors and New York Division Board of Directors elected the union’s 1st vice president and 2nd vice president on Monday. The Hollywood Division Board re-elected by acclamation Anne-Marie Johnson to the position of 1st vice president of Screen Actors Guild. The 1st vice president also serves as chair of the Hollywood Division Board. The New York Division Board elected Division President Mike Hodge to the position of 2nd vice president.

1st Vice President Anne-Marie Johnson said, “I am honored to have been re-elected 1st vice president of the Screen Actors Guild and I hope to continue to help lead with honesty, inclusion and determination. We are and will be facing extraordinary challenges and it is my responsibility, as SAG’s 1st V.P., to do my best to continue to put the concerns and well being of SAG members first.

“I would again like to thank and express my deepest appreciation to Alan Rosenberg for his tireless dedication and love for this union, and to Connie Stevens for her hard work on behalf of the members. I look forward to serving alongside President Ken Howard, Secretary-Treasurer Amy Aquino and the newly elected and returning SAG board members. For the union’s sake, I hope we find that we have more in common with regard to the future of the Screen Actors Guild than it may appear.”

New York Division President and 2nd Vice President Mike Hodge said, “I’m excited and looking forward to a year of very productive volunteering. We’re not out of the woods yet, but I think we can make some real progress this year.”

Johnson is a 25-year SAG member who has served the Guild on the Hollywood Division and National boards over the course of the last decade. She is an accomplished film and television actor and has starred in several successful television series, including In The Heat of the Night, What’s Happening Now, In Living Color and Melrose Place. Johnson co-starred as Donna Cabonna on The Disney Channel’s hit television series That’s So Raven, and for five seasons she portrayed Congresswoman Bobbie Latham on CBS’ hit military drama JAG.

Johnson appeared for two seasons on the hit UPN comedy Girlfriends as “Sharon Upton Farley.” Her feature film credits include L.A. Riots Spectacular, Hollywood Shuffle, Strictly Business, I’m Gonna Git U Sucka, Robotjox, True Identity, Down in the Delta, Pursuit of Happiness and Legacy of A Hit Man.

Johnson has served three prior terms as 1st national vice president and has also served as chair of the SAG National Ethnic Employment Opportunity, Communications and Legislative committees.

Hodge has been on the Screen Actors Guild Board of Directors for nine years. As a national director, he has served as New York Division secretary and vice president. As a member of the New York Division Legislative Committee, he testified before the New York City Council in the successful effort to get city tax incentives and furthered lobbying efforts at the New York State Legislature. (The additional incentives have been significantly responsible for the growth of television and film production in the city and state.) He has also been a part of the Guild Governance, Communications and Negotiations committees. Hodge’s acting has included guest-starring roles in television with recurring work on Law and Order and Fringe, as well as film, commercial and stage work, including four Broadway shows.

The Regional Branch Division will elect the 3rd national vice president at its next two-day board meeting October 15 and 16.

TONY LoBIANCO GOES "INDIE"--BREAKS AWAY FROM MEMBERSHIP FIRST

LoBIANCO DECLARES HIMSELF "INDEPENDENT"
PUTS MEMBERSHIP FIRST AT ARMS LENGTH ?
by Wally Cook, for The SAG Reporter

NEW YORK

It was a subtle change and shuffling of announcements, but Tony LoBianco, 73, is no longer on Membership First's New York slate of candidates running for a seat in the Big Apple division, but appears to be running as an "independent" candidate.

Back in late July, Membership First announced to the press their entire slate of candidates. In New York, running for New York Division seats, Membership First announced Melissa Leo, Tony Lo Bianco, Celia Weston, Mitch Green, Matt Mulhern and Erik-Anders Nilsson. Star names were top-loaded in the announcement. Standard practice.

This branch of Membership First, under Anne-Marie Johnson's full endorsement, styled themselves SAGNOW! SAGNOW!, under the leadership of spokesman Anders Nilsson, included LoBianco's name in press materials and on the groups website. As recently as August 24th, in an invitation only fundraiser for Membership First in New York, Tony LoBianco was listed as a "meet and greet" candidate.

After complaints that Membership First, in using the name SAGNOW!, was intentionally attempting to confuse New York members with the group AFTRANOW, and SAG's legal department ruling that no SAG political party can appropriate the name "SAG", Membership First quickly changed their New York name to "Solidarity and Gains Now!".

Somewhere along the line in all of this confusion and maneuvering, revealing great ineptness in organizing and creating their own moniker, the press materials once listing Tony LoBianco as a "Solidarity and Gains NOW" candidate changed to an "Independent" candidate, with the New York Membership First group simply "endorsing" LoBianco.

At press time, there has been no statement by LoBianco as to his campaign platform, his views on SAG or the New York Division, or why he is now running as an independent, save for a brief quote on the Solidarity and Gains groups website.

Membership First has long belittled the New York Division, with Hollywood Board candidate and Former SAG President Ed Asner recently referring to New York and its members as "the pygmies of the entertainment world."

Is this why Tony LoBianco put distance between himself and Membership First? Time will tell.

AFTRANOW ENDORSES USAN'S NEW YORK SLATE

'09 SAG ELECTION CAMPAIGN
NEW YORK

AFTRANOW has endorsed USAN candidates MIKE HODGE--New York Division President and the NY Nominating Committee Candidates SHARON WASHINGTON, LIZ ZAZZI, MANNY ALFARO, DAVE BACHMAN, MARC BARON, JUSTIN BARRETT, SAM FREED, SHEILA HEAD, JOE NARCISCO, JAY POTTER, JOHN ROTHMAN, KEVIN SCULLIN, and MONICA TROMBETTA.

AFTRANOW's statement from their website: "We reiterate an earlier post: we are not affiliated in any way with a group calling itself Membership First/SAGNOW. We encourage you to visit the USAN website and familiarize yourself with the outstanding men and women running to help lead SAG into the 21st century."

The United Screen Actors Nationwide site is: www.unitedscreenactors.com

AFTRANOW MESSAGE: AFTRA-BASHING MEMBERSHIP FIRST HAS COPIED OUR NAME-DON'T BE CONFUSED BY THEIR TACTICS

AFTRANOW's PRESS RELEASE FROM THEIR WEBSITE:

A Message From the Members of AftraNOW

Please be aware that a group from another union has imitated our name. This group, SAGNOW, is “Membership First” in New York and has made many negative comments regarding AFTRA, AftraNOW, and the leadership of AftraNOW. We should not be confused with them, are not affiliated with them, and have have no realtionship with Membership First /SAGNOW.

Traditionally, AftraNOW members have supported the members of ALT, the AFTRA Leadership Team, USAN, the United Screen Actors Network, and more recently, UFS, Unite For Strength.

New. Organized. Working. From the beginning, the thirty eight members of AftraNOW have sought to negotiate the best media contracts possible, whether for television, radio, or recorded music and sound. Our goal has always been to build our strength, grow our opportunity, and develop strategy to successfully meet the changes of our new century. Thanks to your continued support, we believe we are well on our way.

MEMBERSHIP FIRST'S NEW YORK CANDIDATES BRANDED "SAGNOW!"

SAGNOW!'s PRESS RELEASE:
NY ACTORS ANNOUNCE GUILD BOARD ELECTION SLATE:
Solidarity And Gains NOW!
A new exciting slate of New York actors, running as independent candidates for seats on the Screen Actors Guild National Board, has just been announced.
The slate is called Solidarity And Gains NOW! and is also known as SAGNOW!.This dynamic team of NEW YORK actors is:
2009 Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress- Melissa Leo; famed character actor Tony Lo Bianco; David Rasche; Celia Weston; Mitchell Green (running for New York Board and NY Division president); star of television and stage – Matt Mulhern; and Erik-Anders Nilsson.
NY CANDIDATE QUOTES:
I am confident we can unite in our effort to secure the actors fair participation in new media revenues. That’s why I chose now to run for a SAG board seat.-Celia Weston
Only by uniting can we save our livelihoods. Then we can turn our full attention to New Media which is Now Media.-Mitchell Green
I am seeking a position on the SAG board after being a member for over 20 years. Unity through collaboration is what makes great things possible.-Melissa Leo
“I’m a passionate advocate for the rights of actors and I would be honored by your support. Thank you.”-Matt Mulhern
To vote knowledgeably on the new, live-or-die contract in 2011, you need to know what will it mean to you in terms of dollars. Let’s end senseless New York/Hollywood conflicts. That’s why I have chosen to run.-David Rasche
It’s an honor to run with such talented, knowledgeable and diverse team of respected actors. Now is the time for SAG to unite, working towards a healthier and stronger contract in 2011.-Erik-Anders Nilsson
“I feel compelled to run for the National Board to preserve our gains, fight for improvement, look to the future and negotiate for what’s yet to come from a position of common sense and strength. I would work to bring together our membership and heal divisions in our sister unions that so many of us are members of.”-Tony Lo Bianco
Ballots will be mailed to New York members on August 25th, with results known September 24th, 2009.
For more media contact information, please email us: SAGNOW2009@yahoo.com

NEW YORK: USAN ANNOUNCES HODGE FOR NY DIVISION PRESIDENT, ENDORSES KEN HOWARD AND AMY AQUINO

NEW YORK
UNITED SCREEN ACTORS NATIONWIDE PRESS RELEASE:

USAN is proud to announce long-time Board member and Vice-President Mike Hodge is its candidate for New York Division President."The New York membership couldn't have a better choice than Mike Hodge," said current NY President Sam Freed. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and progressive leadership with the ability to remain open to new ideas and solutions. Mike knows how to get things done for the membership."USAN/Nominating Committee Candidates for the National and New York Board are Manny Alfaro, Dave Bachman, Marc Baron, Sam Freed, Sheila Head, Joe Narciso, Jay Potter, John Rothman, Kevin Scullin, Sharon Washington, Liz Zazzi and USAN endorsed independent candidates Monica Trombetta and Justin Barrett.This group represents a solid combination of experience and new blood, a cross section of incumbents and active committee members who are running for the first time.Mike Hodge stated, "It's with great pride, humility and gratitude that I am running for this office with this incredible team of working actors. With the help of the membership, we can achieve great things for the Guild."USAN enthusiastically endorses Ken Howard for National President and Amy Aquino for Secretary-Treasurer. These outstanding candidates understand that SAG's future as a strong national union depends on building greater unity within the Guild and with our labor partners. They are the clear choice to lead SAG at this time.

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.