The Oscars? Mmm, not so much.
SAG leadership has notified its members that ballots will be mailed to them Jan. 2. Those votes will be tabulated at Integrity Voting Systems in Everett, Wash., on Jan. 23.
Only those of the 120,000-strong SAG membership who are paid in full at that time can vote on the measure, which, if passed, would give the guild’s national board of directors the authority to call a strike. At least 75% of those voting would have to respond “yes” for the measure to pass.
“SAG members understand that their futures as professional actors are at stake,” SAG national president Alan Rosenberg said, “and I believe that SAG members will evaluate the AMPTP’s June 30 offer and vote to send us back to the table with the threat of a strike. A ‘yes’ vote sends a strong message that we are serious about fending off rollbacks and getting what is fair for actors in new media.”
With the annual SAG Awards set to air Jan. 25 on TNT, a quick tally would allow the leadership to use the public forum for any further proselytizing pursuant to the vote’s results.
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SAG is calling up it’s striking papers as negotiations went belly up. Now studios are blaming the Writer’s Guild for perpetuating SAG’s actions to strike.
Hollywood’s labor brawl has turned ugly, with the majors accusing the Writers Guild of America of pushing SAG to strike by “blatantly” sabotaging the guild’s last round of negotiations.
In a fiery blast at the Writers Guild, the congloms said Monday that the WGA had deliberately undermined the Nov. 20-21 SAG talks, held under supervision of a federal mediator. The anger is so fierce that any good will that may have lingered between the WGA and the congloms at the end of the writers strike last February has dissipated.
Is this what Beverly Hills High school is like?
Screen Actors Guild – AMPTP Mediation Fails
SAG Seeks Strike Authorization
Los Angeles (Nov. 22, 2008) — Screen Actors Guild today issued the following statement in response to the failure of federal mediation:
“Our leadership was optimistic that federal mediation would help to move our negotiations forward, but despite the Guild’s extraordinary efforts to reach agreement, the mediation was adjourned shortly before 1:00 a.m. today.
Management continues to insist on terms we cannot responsibly accept on behalf of our members. As previously authorized by the National Board of Directors, we will now launch a full-scale education campaign in support of a strike authorization referendum. We will further inform our members about the core, critical issues unique to actors that remain in dispute.
We have already made difficult decisions and sacrifices in an attempt to reach agreement. Now it’s time for SAG members to stand united and empower the national negotiating committee to bargain with the strength of a possible work stoppage behind them.
We remain committed to avoiding a strike but now more than ever we cannot allow our employers to experiment with our careers. The WGA has already learned that the new media terms they agreed to with the AMPTP are not being honored. We cannot allow our employers to undermine the futures of our members and their families.”
No timeline has been set for the mailing or return of the strike authorization ballots.
Yesterday was the deadline for AFTRA to accept their deal and they did.
After a bitter feud with sister union SAG over its primetime/TV contract, AFTRA’s membership on Tuesday approved the union’s new deal with the studios .
Slightly more than 62% of the voting members said yes to the pact.
“Today’s vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it,” AFTRA president Roberta Reardon said late Tuesday. “We were faced with an unprecedented situation of another union mounting a well-funded and ferocious attack on our contract-ratification process. In the face of that kind of attack, I think the percentage that ratified this contract is really good, and I’m thrilled.”
SAG, whose leadership had contended that a separate deal with AFTRA would dilute its clout at the bargaining table, asserted that the referendum was skewed by nonactor members of the union.
“Clearly, many Screen Actors Guild members responded to our education and outreach campaign and voted against the inadequate AFTRA agreement,” SAG president Alan Rosenberg said. “We knew AFTRA would appeal to its many AFTRA-only members, who are news people, sportscasters and DJs, to pass the tentative agreement covering acting jobs. In its materials, AFTRA focused that appeal on the importance of actor members’ increased contributions to help fund its broadcast members’ pension and health benefits.”
SAG is set to make a decision on the contract proposed to them tomorrow.
Just when you thought it was safe again in Hollywood. Writers still dusting off the last remnants from their strike might have some extra time on their hands to pen some scripts. This time it’s Actors vs. Actors vs. Producers. Isn’t it lovely?! The Screen Actors Guild contract with AMPTP ends this upcoming Monday June 30th. Things looked picture perfect for an easy renewal of contracts until the world imploded and the usually friendly unions decided to not be friendly anymore. SAG and AFTRA usually go into negation talks together, but not this time. Who would have thunk of two strikes in one year? SAG is not happy with the contract that AFTRA want to agree on. Now we are down to actors having to picking sides, do they do with AFTRA or SAG? There is literally a list of who is supporting who; from Tom Hanks to Ben Stiller, to yesterday Sir George Clooney himself penning a letter. Studios have been preparing for this day, even though none probably thought it would actually come down to this. Mostly all productions that are in the filming stage were scheduled in advance to have completed production by Monday. SAG however has the option to extend their contract temporarily until AFTRA votes on July 8th. No word yet if that will happen, but it doesn’t look that way. What a way to go in an almost perfect Summer Movie Season. I guess next month the paparazzi will have a field day capturing out of work actors wandering about the globe on extended vacations because they have nothing else to do. Oh what a summer it will be.
Hollywood Reporter reports that AMPTP and AFTRA have reached a decision. Now all we need to prevent another Tinsletown strike is for SAG is continue talks and reach a deal. I don’t think people will be as forgiving a second strike around.
Might as well. Talks between SAG and studios have halted once again as studios claim SAG is asking too much in regards to dvd sales, among other things. Does this sound familiar? I guess we should prepare ourselves for more Deal or No Deal Around the World as you won’t be running to the theaters this go round. As long as I get to see 24 Day 7 come January after waiting since May 2007, things are fine. This year is shaping up to be a good one.
AFTRA decided this week to postpone negotiations while SAG drudged on through week 2 of talks. Also SAG has made an agreement with some indie producers as a back up just in case a strike does occur. Actors can continue to work through the strike. That is not a good sign. Let’s all hope this doesn’t lead down the same road WGA took. Don’t think Hollywood will be as forgiving a second strike around.
Could there be two Hollywood strikes in one year? Hopefully not. No one could afford that, but things might be headed that way. SAG and AFTRA contracts a up at the start of the summer leaving them to neogitate with AMPTP. Problem is SAG and AFTRA usually go into it together. Well not this time. AFTRA decided to go at it alone. The Screen Actors Guild will begin talks April 15th to be followed by AFTRA two weeks later. If things are not resolved by June 30th, actors could go on strike. This has been known for awhile so movies in production as I type are hoping to wrap filming before the contract end date while praying that a deal is reached before then. You thought the Writer’s Strike was something, imagine if all the actors walk off sets…
Read more about the talks at the links below
