This is not the word on the street. These are not the rantings from those opposed or for an Authorization to Strike.
Please allow to download. You will not be sorry…then again, maybe you will.
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. Read the rest of this entry » »
SAG Actors,
Given that in labor history any significant gains almost always require a strike to achieve, is there something at stake in this SAG contract negotiation that you would walk out for: That you believe means the difference between being able to make a living as an actor being unable to?
** If not getting jurisdiction down to dollar zero (meaning that every AMPTP production no matter how low the budget would have to be done union) meant giving away a place for our signatory employers to do non-union work, would you strike for that? (Note: Many feel that this would be akin to making the same mistakes we made decades ago in cable in VHS/DVD Home video by allowing our employers to cultivate a non-union workspace.)
** If we don’t get any increase in DVD and break the strangle-hold that has existed for more than two decades when projections are that home video/DVD will remain at the present income levels well into if not through the next contract (many are projecting at least the next 6 years), meaning more than 10 billion dollars lost, would you strike over that?
** Are you a background actor? Would you be willing to strike if SAG got no more than the 1 covered actor increase that AFTRA got without even excluding stand-ins?
** If we don’t get adequate protection for actors who are then forced to give away consent for clips at the time they are hired when they are the most vulnerable and the studios continue to sell those clips (the returns are already in the hundreds of millions of dollars for companies like YouTube as our employers purchase channels and provide clips and content (see for yourself: GooTube)) would you be willing to strike over that?
** Would you strike if you made your living primarily in commercials and the studios were forcing you to endorse, for example, Coke on an episode of The Office and that endorsement FOR NO MONEY disqualified you from doing a commercial for any competing soft drink or years possibly as that clip was sold to MySpace and went viral? What if Product placement continues to become more popular and the series regulars do all the endorsing and commercial opportunities diminish even more significantly than they already have for your typical commercial actor?
** Do you do a lot of driving to jobs? Would you be willing to strike over an increase in the mileage reimbursement in this time of $4-$5/gallon gasoline when the federal rate is 58 cents and we have been making 30 cents for decades?
** Is there legitimately ANYTHING you would strike over? Let me know.
** Is there legitimately NOTHING you would strike over? Let me know.
Thank you for your responses. Your input is important to me and I will convey your thoughts to the negotiating committee.
In solidarity.
Anthony De Santis
What is possible?
Actors are too apathetic. Actors shouldn’t be making business decisions and negotiating. Actors are too flaky. Actors don’t care. Actors are too self-involved and oblivious.
I hear that crap all the time.
(Editors: This is what the AMPTP means when they say AFTRA is more “FLEXIBLE.” Read: Willing to give away even more between 3-year contracts.)
Dear Fellow Members of S.A.G. and AFTRA:
My conscience is killing me, and I can’t stay silent any longer. I can tell you from personal experience that it is in the best interest of all actors to Vote No on the AFTRA Exhibit A deal.