Now that Melissa Gilbert and her Restore Respect dominated board have announced that they are going to take “Another Crack at Consolidation,” Qualified Voting is once again a hot topic with SAG’s Rank and File Membership! Although those trying to perpetrate this exclusionary process on the little guys and gals of our union have denied it, here’s documented proof that they surreptitiously inserted Qualified Voting into the AIMA Constitution without alerting the memberships. Here it is--- the SMOKING GUN OF QUALIFIED VOTING!

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Date: Tuesday 8/26/2003

First a little background. After the membership voted down the ATA/NATR giveaway, the Agent Relations Committee was pressured by the ATA/NATR to submit a document that would amend our SAG constitution to implement Qualified Voting. The entire document is reproduced below. But first let’s look at some of the pertinent wording.
SUBJECT: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
“The National Agent Relations Committee recommends that the National Board implement qualified voting on the Agency Regulations. Please find detailed below language to implement a Constitutional amendment to allow for Qualified Voting. This constitutes the 30 day notice required for National Board consideration of an amendment to the Screen Actors Guild Constitution.”
Now let’s look at the similarity between the Agent Relations Committee’s failed Qualified Voting amendment and the exclusionary language in Article 11 of the proposed AIMA Constitution.
First, Section 8. of the Agent Relations failed amendment. It declares “The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to adopt REASONABLE RULES defining which members will be AFFECTED…” Translation: The Board decides who gets to vote!
Now compare the near mirror wording in Article 11 of AIMA’s Constitution “…The Affiliate Board(s) may establish REASONABLE CRITERIA to determine who are AFFECTED members.” Translation: The Board decides who gets to vote!
The qualifiers REASONABLE RULES or REASONABLE CRITERIA do not appear in the current SAG Constitution. In fact SAG’s Custom and Practice has always allowed ALL members to vote on any matter that would affect a substantial amount of the General Membership!
Therefore, if consolidation had succeeded, rank and file members who voted for it, would have unknowingly voted to disenfranchise themselves.
So there your are! If Melissa Gilbert and her pro consolidation slate get your vote in the up coming election---YOU MAY NEVER GET IT BACK!
Now, here’s the “Smoking Gun” document proving that language of the failed Agents Relation Relations Committee “Qualified Voting Amendment” was lifted and inserted into AIMA’s Constitution.
Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering why this amendment was never implemented that’s because Mr. Kent McCord told CEO Bob Pissano that if Qualified Voting was “slipped” into our SAG constitution, he would personally help get the necessary 10,000 signatures on a petition to bring it to a referendum--and let the membership be the final judge on the matter.
In all of his years of service to our guild, Mr. McCord has stood up for ALL of our members, and as SAG President, he will continue to put the MEMBERSHIP FIRST!

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