Although, the resignation of Sallie Weaver has been amply covered by the SAG Watchdog, I have included this article from Backstage written by the Hollywood Reporter's Jesse Hiestand for a couple of reasons.
One of them is that it reveals the Backstage/Hollywood Reporter's* agenda supporting members and employers who oppose SAG President Alan Roseberg and Membership First's effort to strengthen our union. Try to remember one article by the Hollywood Reporter that tried to blame the woes of this union on the go-along to get-along Pisano/Gilbert leadership--as the following article is obviously intended to do against the more proactive Membership First Leadership.
Another is because it reveals that there are self-serving turncoats amongst us who will do anything to forward their go-along-to-get-along goals!
Serious charges, yes! But unlike Melissa Gilbert’s unsubstantiated accusation that those opposing Consolidation were embedded union busters, this one is supported by the comments in the following Backstage/Reporter article.
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Veteran SAG Negotiator Weaver to Resign
March 03, 2006
By Jesse Hiestand
In a major blow to SAG, veteran negotiator Sallie Weaver has decided to leave the union after 20 years of service, it was announced Thursday.
Although Ms. Weaver is obviously a talented and knowledgeable senior staff member; there are many who doubt that her leaving SAG is a major blow. Unfortunately, during the last four years, she aligned herself with the oppressive and noblesse oblige mindset of Ex CEO Robert Pisano and his obedient court, Melissa Gilbert and the go-along-to-get-along Restore Respect/USAN leadership. CEO Bob, You remember him: he’s the guy who kept information from the board, wasted millions on failed ego-driven referendums while eliminating over a hundred rank and file staff members and doubling the staff payroll--by buying the loyalty of senior staff members--with long term big-bucks salaries. In Ms. Weaver’s case under Mr. Pisano’s reign, her salary escalated from $70,000 dollars annually in 2001 to over 
two hundred thousand dollars annually by 2005. It would seem to the Ol’ Dog that for that kind of money, we should be able to not only fill her shoes, but have enough left over to add a couple of in-the-field reps which we desperately need after Mr. Pisano’s cuts.
Weaver, who plans to stay through May 1 to ease the transition, has been leading the union in talks on basic cable and cable animation contracts, both of which are testing the resolve of the union's newly elected leadership, which has vowed to take a tougher stance in negotiations.
Both contracts expired Tuesday with no new deal in place.
"Sallie's departure is a great loss for the guild," interim national executive director Peter Frank said. "For two decades, she put her boundless energies and considerable talents toward protecting and enhancing the welfare of performers across America -- bettering their contracts as one of our chief negotiators, strengthening their pension and health programs as a trustee of those plans and fighting for their claims as the head of our contracts department."
She also was at the forefront along with Mr. Pisano, Restore Respect/USAN/AFTRA and much of the Senior Staff in the $2.5 million dollar propagandized push for AIMA! A failed consolidation that would have eliminated SAG as a self-governing entity, implemented qualified voting, turned us all into media artist and devastated our Pension plan.
Weaver, who plans to take some time off, had been considering a job change at the 20-year mark, sources said, though she also was weary of the union's infighting and the flak she took from some of the more militant members. Still, it was emphasized that Weaver left on her own accord and that she hopes to complete negotiations before her final day.
Yes, there is infighting in SAG. It’s happens in a democracy. And as far as the Ol’ Dog is concerned, it is much preferred to the rubber-stamping that is going on at AFTRA. Rubber-stamping that has unfortunately left it in bad financial shape with a gasping Health and Retirement Plan and a leadership that looks the other way when its members do non-union work. It’s unfortunate, if true, that Ms. Weaver has suffered burnout from the rigors of her position, but the fact is that SAG cannot afford staff members who cannot handle the give-and-take that goes with a thriving, vibrant democratic entity such as SAG.
She is the fifth SAG staffer with at least 20 years of experience to leave the guild in the past three months. The others are senior contracts executives Susan Rose and Anne Talltree, organizer Hollis Batchelor and controller Carolyn Winnor.
Weaver's departure sparked further unease among staff members and concerns that other senior staffers also would be leaving, including deputy national executive directors Pamm Fair and Seth Oster and general counsel David White.
The above mentioned eight senior staff members combined annual salaries are in the very comfortable neighborhood of a MILLION AND A HALF BUCKS. And although institutional memory will be lost, SAG has still got plenty left--and imbued with the new blood that aforementioned million-plus can bring us, SAG will more than be ready for the challenges of the 21st century. (Damn! I love it when I wax poetic like that)
Weaver was national director of strategic planning when, in October 2001, then-national executive director Bob Pisano named her to the newly created post of deputy national executive director for contracts.
Weaver wielded significant behind-the-scenes power by both negotiating and enforcing contracts for the union's 120,000 members.
"She's a very smart lady who's been around for a long time and knows what can and can't be done (in negotiations)," said one person familiar with Weaver's career. "This is not good for (SAG)."
It is amazing to me that since Alan Rosenberg and Membership First took over our leadership, all of a sudden we have all this moaning and groaning from RR/USAN supporters, every time a senior staff member is fired or quits. Where were all these compassionate naysayers during Pisano’s rank and file stafff cuts when he was lobbing off heads with the fervor of Henry the Eight?
Weaver led negotiations last year on a new contract with the video game industry. In the face of stiff resistance from the companies, SAG was unable to establish residuals for video game voice-over talent but did get a 36% boost in wages as well as increases in benefits and work protection.
The inability to get residuals, largely because SAG represented just 10% of the industry, led members of the national executive committee to reject the contract over the wishes of the negotiating committee. Amid calls to strike, then-national executive director Greg Hessinger intervened to save the deal.
Huh? Who the hell wrote the above paragraph, Greg Hessinger’s publicists? First off, the NEC did not reject the contract over the wishes of the negotiating committee. Although reluctantly accepting the contract initially, the negotiating committee subsequently informed the NEC that it had reversed it's position after learning that it had been given misinformation by NED Hessinger. The only intervening he did was along with President Melissa Gilbert. For the first time in SAG History, the NED and SAG president failed to support a strike authorization recommended by the NEC. Their slanted anti strike-authorization-message included with the ballot was a major factor in its defeat.
Although the contract eventually was approved by the membership, bitterness lingered, and Weaver was a principal target.
More BS. If anyone was a so-called target, it was Hessinger because of his actions that weakened SAG and empowered his pals at AFTRA.
Weaver is having a difficult time in the current cable negotiations as well, according to sources, who say her authority has been undermined by members of her own team.
You think, maybe, Jesse’s sources are sore-losers from the last election. 
First off, although as a chief negotiator, Ms. Weaver undeniably can influence the negotiation committee’s decision-making process, her authority is derived through her team. She works for the members on the team! They do not work for her! At least, not anymore, thanks to our new leadership. I doubt that Ms. Weaver would disagree with the Ol’ Dog since she signed a declaration in the Pisano “Conflict of Interest” lawsuit stating that paid negotiators literally had nothing to do with the creation of or acceptance of any deal the guild negotiates.
Certain members of the animation negotiating committee have been pressuring Weaver to demand far more than the industry is likely to give, according to people familiar with the situation. It's also said that these negotiators want authorization to call a strike but are getting resistance from rank-and-file members who work in this field and are reluctant to strike.
More Crap from so-called "people familiar with the situation!" People, who by the way, are liars and traitors propagating false information by trying to weaken our bargaining position with our employers. I was at the animation caucus and there was no pressuring going on. And since these traitors amongst us are attempting to give aid and comfort to the other side, it should be known that in that meeting, by a FIVE TO ONE MARGIN, the vote was overwhelmingly AGAINST ACCEPTING THE PROFFERED DEAL.
Talks on the two cable contracts are on hiatus but should resume in the next few weeks.
SAG's principal goal in these negotiations was to raise residual rates for live-action cable and animated series. The contract has not been renegotiated in 20 years, leaving members with a residual formula that has not kept pace with the cable industry's rapid growth, according to the union.
Traditionally, it is SAG's national executive director who serves as chief negotiator, but after repeated clashes with political opponents, Pisano resigned a year ago. He was succeeded by Hessinger, who was fired in October by the same opposition group, which by then had control of the national board and the power to hire and fire staffers.
Of course, a magazine that depends on our employers for revenue would refer to those who stand up to them as an opposition group. By the way, that guy they were opposing skipped out after giving producers an extra four years to line their pockets with billions of DVD money at our expense. And yes, that same guy they opposed now has a cushy job with those very same producers as co-head of MPAA. (Motion Picture Association of America)
Frank was named interim national executive director as the union searches for a new leader and chief negotiator.
In a statement Thursday, Frank thanked Weaver for her service.
"We wish she would spend the next 20 years with us, but accept with great reluctance that she feels she must now move in another direction," Frank said. "Her years of service to performers and to the cause of organized labor are marked by significant contributions and a true legacy. Screen Actors Guild will miss her very much."
Look, like I said, "I wish Ms. Weaver only the best in any new endeavor she undertakes, unless it includes taking the same path Pisano took." To her credit, she has said that she will not. The real crumbs in this piece are those who have gone public with misinformation in a despicable attempt to sabotage our current basic cable negotiations. Not only have they done a grave disservice to our union but to Ms. Weaver who is currently neogotiating to get us all a good deal!
And should those "people familiar with the situation" ever be identified, I will personally bring charges against them.
Jesse Hiestand writes for The Hollywood Reporter.
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A. L. Miller SW Editor & Chief
Backstage/Hollywood Reporter are mutually owned.
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