SAG ELECTION '09: HOWARD AND AQUINO WIN !!!

KEN HOWARD WINS SAG NATIONAL PRESIDENCY. AMY AQUINO WINS SECRETARY-TREASURER. MODERATES SHOW WELL IN ALL AREAS OF ELECTION.
LOW VOTER TURN-OUT. MEMBERSHIP FIRST DELIVERS 'NAMES' IN HOLLYWOOD BOARD RACE. UNITE FOR STRENGTH SHOWS GREATER STRENGTH IN HOLLYWOOD, NY AND THE RBD.

FROM THE SAG PRESS RELEASE:

Guild Also Announces Results of National Board Elections

Los Angeles (September 24, 2009)—Screen Actors Guild today announced results of elections for its top two elected positions. Ken Howard will serve as Screen Actors Guild president and Amy Aquino will serve as secretary-treasurer. Both will serve two-year terms beginning September 25.

Ballots were mailed to 99,485 paid-up SAG members on August 25, and 27,295 were tabulated today, for a return of 27.44 percent. Presidential candidates Ken Howard received 12,895 votes, with Anne-Marie Johnson coming in second with 8,906 votes, Seymour Cassel got 4,838 votes, and Asmar Muhammad received 402 votes.

DAVID WHITE SPEAKS:
“I’d like to be among the first to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our newly elected Screen Actors Guild national leadership. I look forward to working closely with our new president, Ken Howard, and new secretary-treasurer, Amy Aquino, as we focus on the wide range of critical issues facing our members in the coming year,” said SAG Interim National Executive Director David White. “I also extend my thanks, and the gratitude of SAG members and staff to Alan Rosenberg and Connie Stevens for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our union.”

KEN HOWARD SPEAKS:
“I am deeply honored to be chosen by the membership to lead the Screen Actors Guild,” said Ken Howard. “I campaigned on the promise that I’d do everything in my power to strengthen our position at the bargaining table by building a greater unity with AFTRA and the other entertainment unions, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. Despite the sharp differences that those of us active in Guild affairs sometimes have over strategy and tactics, we need to continually remind ourselves that we’re all on the same team, fighting for the same thing — and by pulling together, we’ll only grow stronger.”

AMY AQUINO SPEAKS:
“I am truly honored that the members have entrusted me with this responsibility,” said Amy Aquino. “Progress has already been made toward strengthening SAG’s finances and I want to make sure it continues. Only by fortifying SAG in this way can we hope to ensure the protections that performers need in these challenging times.”

Screen Actors Guild also announced election results for the National Board of Directors. Twenty-two of the 69 national board seats were open for election this year, representing Screen Actors Guild’s Hollywood, New York and Regional Branch divisions.
“It is my privilege to welcome and congratulate our newly elected Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors for 2009-2010,” said White. “Along with our staff nationwide, I look forward to working with them to pursue a robust agenda as we navigate the Guild through these changing times.”


The National Board members elected today will assume office on September 25 for terms of three years.

SAG’s Hollywood Division elected eleven National Board members; the New York Division elected four National Board members; and seven National Board members were elected from the union’s branches in Chicago, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Philadelphia, Portland and San Diego.

National Board members elected from the Hollywood Division: Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, Elliott Gould, Ed Asner, Anne-Marie Johnson, Connie Stevens, Diane Ladd, Dulé Hill, Hill Harper, Nancy Travis, and Marcia Wallace (all three-year terms).


The following were elected to serve as National Board alternates and to the Hollywood Division Board of Directors (all one-year terms). Gabrielle Carteris, Jenny O’Hara, Michael O’Keefe, Clyde Kusatsu, Dawnn Lewis, Doug Savant, Michelle Allsopp, Alan Rosenberg, D. W. Moffett, Joe Bologna, Robert Hays, Jason George, L. Scott Caldwell, Clark Gregg, Patrick Fabian, Bill Smitrovich, Ellen Crawford, Stacey Travis, Mandy Steckelberg, Renee Taylor, Bernie Casey and John Carroll Lynch.


National Board members elected from the New York Division: Sharon Washington, Monica Trombetta, Sam Freed and Liz Zazzi (all three-year terms). Additionally, New York Division members elected Mike Hodge as NY Division President.


The following were elected to serve as national board alternates and to the New York Division board of directors (all one-year terms.) Manny Alfaro, Sheila Head, Marc Baron, Joe Narciso, Jay Potter, Dave Bachman, John Rothman, Kevin Scullin and Justin Barrett.
National Board members elected from the Regional Branch Division: John Carter Brown (Chicago – three-year term), David Hartley-Margolin (Colorado – three-year term), Dave Corey (Florida – three-year term), Scott Rogers (Hawaii – three-year term), Helen McNutt (Philadelphia – three-year term), Mary McDonald-Lewis (Portland – three-year term), Don Ahles (San Diego – three-year term).


Ballots for all eligible SAG members in Hollywood and New York were mailed on August 25 with a September 24 return deadline and were tabulated today by the independent election company Integrity Voting Systems. A total of 13,718 ballots were tabulated in the Hollywood Division (representing 25.25 percent of ballots mailed in the Hollywood Division) and 5,997 ballots were tabulated in the New York Division (representing 26.11 percent of ballots mailed in the New York Division). The number of ballots returned in the Regional Branch elections varied by region.

SAG ELECTION '09: STATEMENTS FROM KEN HOWARD AND AMY AQUINO

KEN HOWARD'S STATEMENT:

I am deeply honored to be chosen by the membership to lead the Screen Actors Guild. I campaigned on the promise that I’d do everything in my power to strengthen our position at the bargaining table by building greater unity with AFTRA and the other entertainment unions – and that’s exactly what I intend to do. But SAG can’t reach out effectively to other unions, let alone stand strong in negotiations with our employers, if we aren’t united within our own ranks.

Despite the sharp differences that those of us active in Guild affairs sometimes have over strategy and tactics, it’s clear to me that we all have the same goal: getting members the best employment terms possible. It’s a goal we’re passionate about achieving, which is why our differences are frequently so heated. But with so much at stake now for performers, we have to find a way to harness our passions to strengthen SAG rather than divide and weaken it. We need to continually remind ourselves that we’re all on the same team, fighting for the same
thing – and by pulling together, we’ll only grow stronger.

I’d like to congratulate Anne-Marie Johnson on her campaign. Anne-Marie is one of the most dedicated, knowledgeable and articulate advocates within SAG leadership, and her campaign demonstrated that. In the end, members decided on a leadership approach for the Guild different than the one she offered. But Anne-Marie’s re-election to a national board seat reflects the value many members place on her contributions to SAG. I look forward to working with her as we move ahead.

I also want to congratulate everyone elected to board and officer positions in New York and throughout our Regional Branches, as well as our new Secretary-Treasurer, Amy Aquino, and all the candidates elected to the board from Hollywood.

AMY AQUINO'S STATEMENT:

I am truly honored that the members have entrusted me with this responsibility. Progress has already been made toward strengthening SAG’s finances and I want to make sure it continues. I look forward to working with David White, CFO Arianna Ozzanto, other elected members and staff to build SAG’s resources and improve the outlook for the future. Only by fortifying SAG in this way can we hope to ensure the protections that performers need in these challenging times.

I offer my thanks to Connie Stevens for her years of dedicated service. Along with building SAG’s fiscal strength, I look forward to working with our new president Ken Howard and all the Guild’s elected leaders to build consensus and to prove what a truly united Screen Actors Guild can do.

SAG ELECTIONS '09: PHILADELPHIA RESULTS

From SAG's press release:

Dear Philadelphia Branch Members:
On September 22, 2009, Screen Actors Guild announced the election results for the Philadelphia Branch elections.
Philadelphia Branch President Tom McCarthy, Branch Vice President Sylvia Kauders, Secretary Harvey Jaffe, Treasurer Gail Lewis, and current Council Members at Large Donna Dundan, Deborah Carn and Tom McNutt welcome the following newly elected candidates to the Philadelphia Branch:
Helen McNutt / National Board Director / three-year termSara Jane Blazo / Council Member at Large / two-year termPatricia Cray / Council Member at Large / two-year termHarvey Jaffe / Council Member at Large / two-year termSylvia Kauders / Council Member at Large / two-year termAdrienne Wehr / Council Member at Large / two-year termJohn Wooten / Council Member at Large / two-year term
Those members elected as Council Members at Large may also be selected as Alternate National Directors who may be called upon to serve at National Board Meetings when the National Board member from the Philadelphia Branch is unavailable to attend.
The newly elected leaders will assume office on September 25, 2009.

SAG ELECTIONS '09: REGIONAL BRANCH DIVISON NEWS

Reports have been coming in regarding election results for the Regional Branches.

At post-time, here's what we know:

SEATTLE: John Patrick Lowrie wins Regional Branch Presidency.

SAN DIEGO: Don Ahles wins and retains RBD Presidency in San Diego.

PHILADELPHIA: Helen McNutt is re-elected.

No official breakdowns or statements yet. We'll post them as they come in.

KEN HOWARD WINS EMMY!--VIDEO UPDATE--

UPDATED, MONDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER, 2009

(Sunday, 20 Sept. 2009) Ken Howard, SAG candidate for National president, wins Emmy for HBO's "Grey Gardens"! This was his first win.

Ken Howard won the supporting actor award for the HBO mini-series. He told reporters afterward that he hoped that the miniseries would make a comeback in television. Said Howard, "You get a long time to devote to the character. It's a great form, and I hope it comes back. It's great for actors and great for the audience."

The evening also marked the anniversary of his wife's birthday, to whom he dedicated the win.

A NEW VIDEO MESSAGE FROM KEN HOWARD

SAG ELECTIONS '09
A NEW VIDEO MESSAGE FROM KEN HOWARD

KEN HOWARD'S MESSAGE TO HOLLYWOOD MEMBERS

KEN HOWARD'S EMAIL TO HOLLYWOOD MEMBERS

HOLLYWOOD (September 8, 2009)

Fellow Hollywood SAG Members,

The most important question in this election is this: What steps must we take to strengthen the Screen Actors Guild and make sure we can negotiate the best possible contracts? I’ve described very clearly what I think the answer is. We need to build close relationships with all our fellow entertainment unions and approach future contract negotiations as a united front. Most critically, the two unions representing performers in our industry must work together as one. The surest way to achieve that is by merging SAG and AFTRA into one powerful national union.

Please go to http://uniteforstrength.com/?p=734 and you’ll see important video messages from Tom Hanks, William H. Macy, and Felicity Huffman explaining why they – along with Sally Field, Tony Shalhoub, Hector Elizondo and so many other SAG members – agree with me.

My opponent, Anne-Marie Johnson, sees it differently. She and her group, Membership First, chose to fight with AFTRA heading into last year’s TV/Theatrical negotiations, and it cost us terribly:

- SAG members lost tens of millions of dollars in increases and countless job opportunities during a ten month contract stalemate.

- SAG covered only 10% of the 2009 TV pilots.

- Lower revenues led to a 2-year budget deficit of $10 million, requiring 8% of SAG’s staff to be fired.

- Reduced earnings meant fewer members qualified for SAG health insurance and pension credits.

- Lower earnings contributed to the need for major changes to SAG’s pension and health plans, which will take effect in January, including higher health insurance premiums and deductibles, and a lower pension accrual rate.

With results like these, it’s no surprise that Anne-Marie Johnson and Membership First are now trying to sound like they embrace the idea of working together with AFTRA. But what you hear them saying may be very different from what they mean.

- They say they want “all performers in one union”… but they steadfastly oppose merger, the obvious way to accomplish that.

- They say SAG should “share services” with AFTRA… but they want to immediately end the legal agreement that prohibits SAG and AFTRA from publicly attacking each other.

- They say SAG and AFTRA must negotiate together in 2010… but Ms. Johnson pledges her first act if elected would be to ask performers who are members of both unions to choose between them. Is she suggesting that SAG should raid AFTRA’s membership? That would be ruinous.

We CANNOT afford to go back to the go-it-alone approach of Anne-Marie Johnson, Connie Stevens, and Membership First. Unite for Strength is dedicated to protecting the future for actors. If you agree that SAG is made stronger by working in partnership with our fellow entertainment unions, please vote for me, Amy Aquino, and all the Unite for Strength board candidates.

Respectfully,

Ken Howard

For more information about our candidates and to see all the UFS videos, please visit http://www.uniteforstrength.com/

**UNITE FOR STRENGTH VOTING GUIDE**

President – KEN HOWARD

Secretary-Treasurer – AMY AQUINO

Board of Directors – Please vote for ALL 33 board candidates below. DO NOT vote for more than 33 board candidates or your ballot will not be counted.

1 – Michelle Allsopp 6 – Patrick Fabian 9 – Jason George 10 – Dawnn Lewis 11 – Woody Schultz 12 – Michael O’Keefe 14 – Clark Gregg 19 – David Lawrence 20 – Amir Talai 21 – Doug Savant 22 – Dule Hill 23 – Clyde Kusatsu 25 – Tim DeKay 28 – Assaf Cohen 34 – Scotty Caldwell 35 – D.W. Moffett 39 – Mandy Steckelberg 40 – Richard Speight, Jr. 43 – Jenny O’Hara 52 – Gabrielle Carteris 55 – Hill Harper 57 – Bill Smitrovich 58 – Bob Bergen 59 – Ned Vaughn 60 – Nancy Travis 62 – Gregory Itzin 64 – Ellen Crawford 67 – Stacey Travis 73 – Christian Clemenson 74 – Conrad Palmisano 75 – Richard Fancy 81 – Marcia Wallace 82 – John Carroll Lynch

This message was sent by: Ken Howard, Senders valid physical postal address provided in accordance with federal CAN-SPAM Act is: 5757 Wilshire Blvd., 7th FL., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Please note that this address may not be used to send campaign related communications or contributions to the above mentioned candidate.

[PAID POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

This e-mail message is not an official communication of the Screen Actors Guild and has not been transmitted at Guild expense. The Guild is required by federal law to provide candidates with the opportunity to send you email messages. The following has been prepared by the candidate(s) and is not endorsed or reviewed by the Guild in any manner. The candidate(s) have not been provided with your e-mail address. The messages are being transmitted by an independent electronic communications firm.

UNITE FOR STRENGTH: ON DIVERSITY AND THE DIRECTION OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD

Hollywood (September 4, 2009)

AN OPEN LETTER ABOUT DIVERSITY AND THE DIRECTION OF SAG

To Our Fellow Screen Actors Guild Members,

We are candidates running for the SAG board with the slates known as Unite For Strength (www.UniteforStrength.com) and United Screen Actors Nationwide(http://www.unitedscreenactors.com/).

We’re running with these groups because they not only represent the strongest future for our union, but best represent its full diversity as well. Look at the candidates and supporters of the UFS and USAN slates and you will see actors who’ve worked every category from Background and Featured Performer to Series Regular and Film Lead. We represent and are comprised of African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Caucasians, Jews, Muslims, Christians — the full breadth of diversity our country and our union have to offer.

We are proud that our national board, under a combined UFS, USAN, and Regional Branch Division majority, appointed David White to our union’s top staff position of Interim National Executive Director — the first African American to hold the position. This is one of the reasons we were saddened when Anne-Marie Johnson and other Membership First candidates filed a lawsuit against the Guild to remove Mr. White. In the seven months since Mr. White was hired, SAG has successfully negotiated six contracts, yet Ms. Johnson sued to replace him with his predecessor, Doug Allen, who never successfully negotiated a single SAG contract in over two years. Two judges have dismissed the case but Ms. Johnson and Membership First continue to appeal and add to the $170,000 of your dues money already wasted defending this frivolous lawsuit.

We would love to see diversity reach the highest levels in SAG, including the presidency, but not at the cost of our union’s financial well being, respect and unity. Our members have lost over $100 million because of the ill-conceived negotiating strategies of Ms. Johnson and Membership First. Additionally, the slurs and attacks publicly voiced by Ms. Johnson and Membership First have cost our union the respect and partnership of the DGA, WGA and, most regrettably, our sister union AFTRA. Each of these unions is a key ally in getting the strongest contracts possible. More to the point, the central role Ms. Johnson and Membership First played in the breakdown of the relationship between SAG and AFTRA means that under her presidency, any attempts at cooperation with AFTRA would be viewed as suspect.

We believe the best solution to many of our major issues is merger or at least a close working relationship with AFTRA. The recent shift in prime-time work between SAG and AFTRA means that single cardholders – especially background performers – may have to pay initiation fees and join the other union in order to retain the same work opportunities. The shift in work will also make it more difficult for members to qualify for health and pension benefits because their earnings could be split between the two union plans. The next President must mend ties with our sister union. Unfortunately, Ms. Johnson has made herself a pariah with AFTRA leadership, making her incapable of healing the relationship. She has also made clear her unwillingness to explore the possibility of merger. She declares she wants to “bring all actors under one roof” but provides no legally, financially, or ethically viable strategy to accomplish this.

We call on all SAG members to reject any and all personal attacks in this election — especially racial slurs. In a recent video interview, Ms. Johnson stated that she has received “a ton of racist emails” and that she “get[s] that every day.” This is obviously a grave matter and if any of those emails came from SAG members, we call on Ms. Johnson to immediately provide details of those communications to the Guild’s legal department. Membership must know that regardless of our political differences, no one in Guild leadership considers racism trivial and it is the obligation of all SAG members to report such incidents without delay.

Ms. Johnson, like many of us, has been a tireless champion for diversity and we applaud her dedication and advocacy in the boardroom. But during the period that Ms. Johnson and Membership First controlled our union, SAG did not grow stronger but was in fact weakened. It’s time for SAG members of every background to embrace a better approach. We are asking for your vote because Unite For Strength and United Screen Actors Nationwide represent that better approach: building strength through unity. We’re also proud to say we represent true diversity.

In Solidarity,
Hill Harper, Manny Alfaro, L. Scott Caldwell, Assaf Cohen, Jason George, Nancy Giles, Dulé Hill, Mike Hodge, Clyde Kusatsu, Dawnn Lewis, Amir Talai, Sharon Washington

**UNITE FOR STRENGTH VOTING GUIDE**

For Hollywood Division Members
President – KEN HOWARD

Secretary-Treasurer – AMY AQUINO
Board of Directors – Please vote for ALL 33 board candidates below. DO NOT vote for more than 33 board candidates or your ballot will not be counted.
1 – Michelle Allsopp

6 – Patrick Fabian

9 – Jason George

10 – Dawnn Lewis

11 – Woody Schultz

12 – Michael O’Keefe

14 – Clark Gregg

19 – David Lawrence

20 – Amir Talai

21 – Doug Savant

22 – Dule Hill

23 – Clyde Kusatsu

25 – Tim DeKay

28 – Assaf Cohen

34 – Scotty Caldwell

35 – D.W. Moffett

39 – Mandy Steckelberg

40 – Richard Speight, Jr.

43 – Jenny O’Hara

52 – Gabrielle Carteris

55 – Hill Harper

57 – Bill Smitrovich

58 – Bob Bergen

59 – Ned Vaughn

60 – Nancy Travis

62 – Gregory Itzin

64 – Ellen Crawford

67 – Stacey Travis

73 – Christian Clemenson

74 – Conrad Palmisano

75 – Richard Fancy

81 – Marcia Wallace

82 – John Carroll Lynch

**NEW YORK DIVISION MEMBERS**Please go to http://www.unitedscreenactors.com/ for a full candidate list and USAN voting guide.

This message was sent by: Hill Harper, Sender’s valid physical postal address provided in accordance with federal CAN-SPAM Act is: 5757 Wilshire Blvd., 7th FL., Los Angeles, CA 90036-3600

TOM HANKS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT UNITE FOR STRENGTH

HANKS SUPPORTS KEN HOWARD AND THE UNITE FOR STRENGTH TICKET
">

KEN HOWARD'S STATEMENT: RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD

">

AMY AQUINO ON THE FUTURE OF SAG'S FINANCES

">

WILLIAM H. MACY AND FELICITY HUFFMAN ENDORSE KEN HOWARD, AMY AQUINO AND UNITE FOR STRENGTH

">

NED VAUGHN SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AND UNITE FOR STRENGTH

">

UNITE FOR STRENGTH DEBUTS NEW, UPDATED WEBSITE

UNITE FOR STRENGTH, running 35 candidates in the current SAG elections, top-lined by Ken Howard for President and Amy Aquino for Secretary-Treasurer, have unvieled a newly redesigned website. Check it out at http://www.uniteforstrength.com/ .

New information on the site includes their 2009 Voter's Guide, profiles and statements from SAG National Board candidates including Assaf Cohen, Gabrielle Carteris, and Tim DeKay.




>"Let’s end the internal accusations and build a more powerful, efficient
union."-Assaf Cohen

>"My goal is to make sure our unions work together – it’s our only hope to achieve a strong future."-Gabrielle Carteris

>"Let’s end the unproductive inter-union hostility and instead work towards inter-union cohesiveness. For the future’s sake." -Tim DeKay

For detailed biographies and complete statements, visit www.uniteforstrength.com

NEW YORK: MEET NATIONAL CANDIDATES KEN HOWARD, AMY AQUINO AND NY BOARD CANDIDATES MONDAY, 24 AUGUST, 2009

PRESS RELEASE/INVITATION FROM UNITED SCREEN ACTORS:

Dear USAN Friends & Supporters,We need your help in this critical election season. Please join usthis coming Monday & bring your SAG friends--we would love to have youall meet Ken Howard & Amy Aquino, candidates for National Presidentand Secretary-Treasurer and other NY SAG Candidates.Please forward this to all of your liststo help get the word out. We hope you can make it--and please bring afriend... or five!A PDF invitation may be found at this link:http://www.unitedscreenactors.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/monday-invite.pdfLooking forward to seeing you there.Sam, Mike, & the USAN Team---------------------------------------------------------------Date: Monday, August 24thTime: 6:00PM-8:00PMPlace: 1199 SEIU, 310 W. 43rd St., between 8th & 9thBring your SAG card for admittance.

UNITE FOR STRENGTH ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR '09 SAG ELECTIONS

July 23, 2009

UFS Announces Ken Howard as Candidate for SAG President

Amy Aquino to run for Secretary-Treasurer,

33 others for Board of Directors on UFS slate

Unite for Strength today announced Ken Howard as its candidate for Screen Actors Guild President, and Amy Aquino as its candidate for Secretary-Treasurer in Guild elections to be held this September. Unite for Strength will also field 33 candidates from the Hollywood Division for seats on the Board of Directors. A current Emmy nominee for HBO’s Grey Gardens, Ken Howard’s career began on stage but has encompassed four decades of starring roles on television and regular feature film work. The Tony and Emmy Award winning actor was elected on the Unite for Strength slate to SAG’s National Board in 2008 and currently chairs the National Seniors committee. Amy Aquino is a veteran performer with a decade of previous Guild service as Vice President and Board member. A graduate of Harvard University and the Yale School of Drama, she’s a ubiquitous television presence who has also worked consistently on stage and in film for over 20 years.

Presidential candidate Ken Howard said: “This election offers members a stark choice between two leadership approaches – attempt to go it alone or unite for strength. From 2005 through 2008, SAG experienced the divisive, go-it-alone approach of Membership First. They went to war with AFTRA, sought to marginalize New York and the branches, and repeatedly alienated other entertainment unions. Under Membership First’s leadership, SAG failed to successfully negotiate a single contract in 2008, which cost our members tens of millions of dollars. To make matters worse, it caused producers to take most new television production to AFTRA, resulting in still more lost work and benefits for SAG members.

“With increasing consolidation of media companies and new technologies transforming our business, we will pay dearly if we’re not smart and strategic about our future. I’m running for president as a Unite for Strength candidate because I believe the only way actors will get our fair share of the pie is if we’re united both internally and with our labor partners. If SAG members elect me and my fellow Unite for Strength candidates, we’ll make a clean break with the divisive leadership approach of Membership First and focus on building maximum unity with AFTRA and other entertainment guilds to give us real power when we sit down to negotiate contracts.”

Amy Aquino said: “The go-it-alone approach has wreaked havoc not only on members’ livelihoods, but on the Guild itself. The actions of Membership First have seriously weakened SAG financially, saddling us with a $6.5 million deficit. Their year-long delay in negotiating the TV/Theatrical contract, their fight with AFTRA, and other reckless decisions have caused deep-rooted fiscal damage. UFS has begun to address this crisis by resolving SAG’s two major contracts and supporting measures to streamline Guild operations. Going forward, we’ll continue to make SAG’s financial health a top priority.”

Unite for Strength board candidate Ned Vaughn said: “The failures of Membership First’s go-it-alone approach are so obvious that even they are now talking about the need to bring SAG and AFTRA actors into one union. Even if they’re sincere, the damage they’ve done to our relationship with AFTRA makes it impossible for them to lead any effort to build unity. As the DGA’s response to Alan Rosenberg’s call for a union summit makes plain, Membership First has a poisonous relationship with other entertainment guilds as well. For SAG members who believe we need stronger alliances with other unions, Unite for Strength is the clear choice in this election.”

The 33 candidates running on the Unite for Strength slate for seats on the national Board of Directors include incumbent Hollywood Division Board members: Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, Gabrielle Carteris, Assaf Cohen, Tim DeKay, Dule Hill, Clyde Kusatsu, Marcia Wallace, Doug Savant, William Smitrovich, Richard Speight, and Stacey Travis. Joining them on the slate will be actors Michelle Allsopp, Christian Clemenson, Ellen Crawford, Patrick Fabian, Richard Fancy, Jason George, Clark Gregg, Hill Harper, Gregory Itzin, David Lawrence, Dawnn Lewis, John Carroll Lynch, D.W. Moffett, Jenny O’Hara, Michael O’Keefe, Mandy Steckelberg, Amir Talai, and Nancy Travis, as well as background and motion capture artist Woody Schultz, voice actor Bob Bergen, and stuntman/coordinator Conrad Palmisano.

About Unite for Strength

Unite for Strength was formed last year by Hollywood Screen Actors Guild members concerned that SAG’s leadership was sowing division among performers and isolating the Guild, weakening its position in contract negotiations. Unite for Strength organizers were especially concerned with the Guild’s repeated attacks on AFTRA, which resulted in the two unions negotiating the TV/Theatrical contract separately for the first time in over 25 years. In September 2008, a group of Unite for Strength members ran for the board of directors, with 5 winning election to the National Board and 13 to the Hollywood Division Board.

As board members, they called for a more unifying and strategic leadership approach, but these calls were rejected by Membership First officers and directors. By year’s end, those leaders had failed to successfully negotiate any of SAG’s expired contracts up for renewal in 2008, including the all-important TV/Theatrical contract. With SAG losing new television production to AFTRA and film production slowed due to the lack of a contract, UFS representatives joined with board members from New York and across the country to form a new majority coalition and take control of the TV/Theatrical and Commercials contract negotiations. Working jointly with AFTRA, this coalition led SAG in negotiating a new Commercials contract that was ratified by a landslide 94% vote. Three weeks later, a new TV/Theatrical contract was approved by members nearly 4 to 1 (78%-22%) with a record voting turnout.