SAG and the Actors Strike

[Dorian Thompson]

Yeah, but that's the former president of the union saying that. Richard Masur is pretty pro-union, as are Devito, Perlman, and especially Mike Farrell. When you've got Farrell publicly calling it "idiocy," there's some dissension in the ranks.

 

[wamdue]

Yeah, but that's the former president of the union saying that. Richard Masur is pretty pro-union, as are Devito, Perlman, and especially Mike Farrell. When you've got Farrell publicly calling it "idiocy," there's some dissension in the ranks.

maybe it is to early to consider sending out papers, but its all but done now.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

If the auto industry doesn't get its bailout it's going to be an even worse economy in which to strike. I was reading about possible domino effects from a massive auto failure--one of them is television advertising. Many shows, including daytime soaps, are largely sponsored by autos. Slippery slope. Will NBC's scripted actors have anything to come back to if they interrupt another season since the network is already considering cutting primetime scripted hours? Will the CW? Lots of automobile advertising there.

 

[wamdue]

^ and should private companys that have failed get a bail out?

yeah I know they employ alot of people so are important to the economy, if the company's are that important, the government should buy them, and run them in a way that is good for the economy (im looking at you banks) or good for society in the long run (im looking at you hybrid cars)

That said if im honest ive been feeling this way for years now, long before this happened, my best example being how can the government hope to grow public transport, if they have no control over it, since its all run by private company's.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

I'm very ambivalent about the buy out myself. If the government bails your ass out, it has every right to tell you how to run your business and monitor you.

 

[wamdue]

their is an example of this, when the UK government bailed out Northern Rock, people start to put money in it, open new accounts, as it seemed like a safe place to park your cash, However they had to stop people opening new accounts since its government owned its not allowed to compete with the other banks.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

The US congress is stupid enough to lend enormous amounts of money without proper oversight and control, unfortunately.

In other news on the strike, once again not so fast.

www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com

....No doubt SAG's Town Hall meeting on Monday in NYC is going to be fraught with tension. (December 15, 2008: 6:00 PM-8:00 PM, Westin Times Square – Majestic Ballroom, 270 West 43rd Street at 8th Avenue, 5th Floor.) Not only are the Hollywood-based SAG president Alan Rosenberg and executive director/chief negotiator Doug Allen going to be there in person, but so will the New York Division board members who've just called for 1) a stop to the Strike Authorization Vote, 2) an emergency National Board meeting, 3) the appointment of a new national negotiating task force, and 4) a demand that the AMPTP return to the bargaining table once all of the above are done. I, for one, would be very curious to see what would happen if the anti-Membership First group of NYers got their way. Would the newly elected National Board go along with this?

“I am shocked and troubled that some members of our New York Board have issued a statement to the press regarding our October 2008 national board directive to send a strike authorization referendum to SAG members. Oddly, a portion of the group that now holds the majority of votes on our national board, and who voted as part of the 97% majority to send this referendum to members, has now reconsidered.... [/i]

In short, if you read the whole article, SAG East is pissed off at SAG West. Lots of infighting.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com

The plot thickens. A few names have signed a public declaration asking that the strike authorization vote be cancelled. You might recognize a few.


--------------------------------------------------------
QUOTE Dear SAG Board Members, officers and staff:

We feel very strongly that SAG members should not vote to authorize a strike at this time. We don't think that an authorization can be looked at as merely a bargaining tool. It must be looked at as what it is -- an agreement to strike if negotiations fail.

We support our union and we support the issues we're fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work.

None of our friends in the other unions are truly happy with the deals they made in their negotiations. Three years from now all the union contracts will be up again at roughly the same time. At that point if we plan and work together with our sister unions we will have incredible leverage.

As hard as it may be to wait those three years under an imperfect agreement, we believe this is what we must do. We think that a public statement should be made by SAG recognizing that although this is not a deal we want, it is simply not a time when our union wants to have any part in creating more economic hardship while so many people are already suffering.

Let's take the high road. Let's unite with our brothers and sisters in the entertainment community and prepare for the future, three years down the line. Then, together, let's make a great deal.

Sincerely,
Alan Alda
Jason Alexander
Dave Annable
René Auberjonois
Diane Baker
Bob Balaban
Alec Baldwin
William Baldwin.
Barbara Beck
Ed Begley, Jr
Maria Bello
Barbara Bosson
Bruce Boxleitner
Josh Brolin
Pierce Brosnan
David Boreanaz
Blair Brown
Lizzy Caplan
Jennifer Carpenter
Steve Carrell
Mark Cassen
Erika Christensen
George Clooney
Glenn Close
Scott Cohen
Jack Coleman
Stephen Collins
Peter Coyote
James Cromwell
Billy Crystal
Matt Damon
Ted Danson
James Darren
Bruce Davison
James Denton
Brian Dennehy
Danny DeVito
Cameron Diaz
Garret Dillahunt
Larry Dorf
Minnie Driver
Olympia Dukakis
Patty Duke
Charles S. Dutton.
Shelley Fabares
Bill Fagerbakke
Mike Farrell
Sally Field
Kate Flannery
Morgan Freeman
Jennifer Garner
Teri Garr
Melissa Gilbert
Sara Gilbert
John Goodman
Christopher Gorham
Heather Graham
Kelsey Grammer
Jennifer Grey
Michael Gross
Christopher Guest
Annabelle Gurwitch
Michael C. Hall
Tom Hanks
Tess Harper
Mariette Hartley
Ed Helms
Marilu Henner
Cheryl Hines
Felicity Huffman
Helen Hunt
Jeremy Irons
Kathryn Joosten
Carol Kane
Diane Keaton
Jamie Kennedy
Mimi Kennedy
TR Knight
Sarah Knowlton
John Krasinski
Diane Lane
Michele Lee
Lucy Liu
Rob Lowe
Tobey Maguire
Janel Maloney
Camryn Manheim
Marlee Matlin
Melanie Mayron
Andrew McCarthy
Mary McCormack
Chris McDonald
Neal McDonough
Rob McElhenney
Ewan McGregor
Eva Mendes
Debra Messing
Helen Mirren
James Naughton
Edward Norton
Michael Nouri
Gail O'Grady
Kaitlin Olson
Sam Page
Eva Longoria Parker
Adrian Pasdar
Steve Pasquale
Rhea Perlman
Jaimie Pressley
Jason Ritter
John Saxon
William Schallert
Adam Scott
Tony Shalhoub
Armin Shimerman
Christian Slater
Kevin Spacey
Jerry Sroka
Mary Steenburgen
Marcia Strassman
Brenda Strong
Donald Sutherland
Kitty Swink
David Tadman
Jeffrey Tambor
Charlize Theron
Ally Walker
Tracey Walter
Belinda Waymouth
Bradley Whitford.
Lee Wilkoff
Brian Wimmer
Kevin Zegers
Louis Zoric

 

[Jax]

Impressive list but then again that list seems to be full of people with money.

 

[wamdue]

also are only actually one vote.

TBH I am surprised there agents allow them to do things like this, since it might effect negation of future movie & TV deals

 

[Dorian Thompson]

If there's a strike agents are deprived of work and commissions. Their agents can't stop them from doing anything. The fact that actors with money care enough to think things through (since they wouldn't be hurt by a prolonged work stoppage) is a positive thing, IMO. I'm sure there are others who agree with them who didn't sign out of fear of some perceived backlash.

 

[Dream]

The SAG is screwed if they strike or don't strike. They will be losing either way. If they do strike thousands lose their jobs (not just actors) for god knows how long but if they don't they will be losing lots of money over the next few years. People didn't think VHS was going to make much money but look what happened.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

But that's why they want to coordinate in three years time and strike together with the writers and directors if a fair deal on new media isn't reached. That's the key. A real work stoppage. That's never happened before. The money will be there by then, the AMPTP won't be able to dispute it.

 

[Dream]

Oh I'm sure the AMPTP will keep saying online streaming makes them no money when the time comes in three years.

This economic meltdown is really bad timing for the SAG. The writers had it easy in comparison when they went on strike since the public mostly supported them. It's almost like a reversal now, everyone is dreading it.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

They'll try to say it, no doubt, but if the three guilds all strike at the same time, that's something the producers haven't had to deal with before. The head of SAG was claiming no A-listers would come forward against the strike authorization.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

More than a few of the actors urging a "no" are also producers - there's the whole "divided loyalties" thing again.

If the AMPTP had actually been living up to the terms of their new agreement with the WGA perhaps the rank and file in other guilds would trust them to negotiate in good faith. As it is...no.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

You think none of the names on the list can think and negotiate in good faith because they've also been producers? I don't buy that. Why does the directors' guild claim no one's going to see residual payments from new media until 2012 anyway according to their own research? Why not present a united front with the three guilds in 2012 if (and probably when) the AMPTP still doesn't want to pay up? The jerk studios will let this drag on for months, again, while they put on reality television. This won't force their hands--not for a couple of months at least. It's not like there aren't numerous films in post production already.

In short, did the writers really get a good deal earlier this year?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

René Auberjonois!!!!

Well that's it, Earthlings. Cancel the strike. The Founder has spoken!

that list seems to be full of people with money.

Cuz they listed the people anybody might have heard of.

The jerk studios will let this drag on for months, again, while they put on reality television.

Meanwhile, ratings overall have dropped because of the WGA strike. If they thought reality TV could sub in for scripted, they were wrong and they are seeing the financial carnage now. They simply lose the audience that wants scripted TV and won't watch reality crap.

 

[wamdue]

im worried about all the big names, as its them who dont need the protection of the union, unlike the little guy, who strikes are normally about, this is of course the problem with the SAG

 

[Nardpuncher]

I don't know if antbody brought this up...but what about actors that are already out of work? Do they go on strike?!