HOORAY FOR SAG!!!
I hope everyone saw this email from the Guild this weekend. (Text of the press release below after my email).
It has been said that the current leadership is ruled by ego and interested only in saber-rattling and bullying in order to get its way.
The resolution that came out of the S.A.G. National Board room this weekend was one that was voted up unanimously. It shows everyone, from the AMPTP to AFTRA to the entire S.A.G. membership that this leadership, this national board, this TV/TH negotiating committee are all willing to do anything it takes to get the best possible contracts for the membership.
That’s what it has always been about, despite the fierce and negative spin that has continuously been heaped on the public by the PR factories hired by the AMPTP, AFTRA, and now the hilariously named and entirely clueless “Unite for Strength.”
Believe your leadership. Believe in them. Believe in Alan Rosenberg, in Doug Alan, in the National Board, and in the S.A.G. negotiating committees, and believe in the strength that a UNITED S.A.G. can wield. They have consistently been willing to compromise (over and over again with AFTRA despite the outright lies and spin, with S.A.G. leadership around the country, and in negotiations with the AMPTP).
You want to know the best part? The unanimous resolution didn’t originate in LA. It originated in NY. Anyone who claimed that the Hollywood leadership was too proud or too selfish or too ego-driven has nothing left to hang their hats on. When an idea came down that was worth getting behind, ALL of S.A.G.’s leadership got behind it.
In proud solidarity.
Anthony De Santis
PRESS RELEASE TEXT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAG National Board Resolution Reaffirms Importance of Jurisdiction Over All New Media Productions and
Residuals for All Made-For-New Media Programs
July 26, 2008
Los Angeles, July 26, 2008 — The National Board of Directors of Screen Actors Guild passed the following resolution at its meeting today:
It is a core principle of Screen Actors Guild –
That no non-union work shall be authorized to be done under any Screen Actors Guild agreement and;
That all work under a Screen Actors Guild contract, regardless of budget level, shall receive fair compensation when reused.
Passed unanimously 68-0.
This resolution represents guidance from the National Board of Directors to the National Negotiating Committee. It reaffirmed the importance of these issues in these negotiations.
“For some time, we have been telling the industry how important it is for all new media productions under our contract to be done union and how important residuals for made-for new media programming are when programs are re-run on new media,” said SAG National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen.
“I am very pleased that our National Board today unanimously confirmed these essential principles in support of our National Negotiating Committee,” Allen added.