With the big TV/Theatrical Informational meeting tonight (5/21/09) I thought it might be a good time to reexamine Interim NED David White’s message to the membership on the TV/Theatrical “Deal.”
---
Dear SAG Member: Today ballots for the tentative agreement reached for television, motion pictures and new media will be mailed to all eligible members around the country. As you know, our National Board of Directors has voted to recommend this contract for your approval. For a number of important reasons, I believe they were right to recommend this deal to you.
Now, one must not forget that just a few short months ago before being pushed upon us by New York and the branches, David White worked for his mentor, former SAG CEO and current MPAA head Robert “Whipsaw” Pisano. It also must be noted that although the National Board voted for this “deal” by a 53% to %48 percent margin thanks, mostly, to New York and the branches, around 80% of Hollywood Board voted against it.
As you will hear over the coming weeks, the two-year successor agreement contain real financial gains for you and your families, including:
No, David, things like a minimum day player increase of 23 bucks doesn’t qualify as a real financial gain. You want to talk about a real financial gain. This “deal” will set in concrete, a provision that will allow employers, forever more, to make billions of dollars on all TV shows made before 1974 and features before 1971 to be played on the internet without paying one penny to those actors (or their families)who appeared in them. Of course, actors can always reflect on that as they put a half tank of gas in their cars with that 23 bucks.
An increase of 6.5 percent in your earnings and residuals, including a 3 percent raise (effective immediately upon ratification), plus another 3.5 percent increase in the second year of the contract. A 5 percent increase in network primetime rerun ceilings over the life of the two-year deal, threshold increases in schedule breaks and money breaks, and a 33 percent increase in the “top of show” premium (which means more money for “guest star” work). A .5 percent increase in pension contributions, which raises the pension and health contribution rate to 15 percent.
Look, no one is contesting the moderate gains in traditional media. In fact former NED Doug Allen stated early into negotiations that if that was all this was about a deal would have been made early on.
The agreement also contains specific increases for background actors across the Western Zones, including five additional background positions in movies, and an additional background position in television, plus an expanded background zone around Las Vegas, NV. Stunt coordinators will now (finally) be included in the pool of residuals, and there is additional pay for dancers who perform under hazardous conditions.
These gains are matched by the important foundation established in new media, which includes the industry’s acknowledgement of our jurisdiction and the first ever recognized structure for residuals payments. The industry will open its financial books for new media production for our inspection, to help ensure our increased understanding of the developing cost and production models being used by producers.
David please. You’re killing us! Get serious. It’s a foundation alright! But for what? A foundation on which to build a permanent non-union structure on the Internet. I love that the industry acknowledges our jurisdiction with a deal that mandates that most of the work will be non-union. As for the Old “we’ll open the books” routine. How many times have we heard that one with no results.
This is a solid deal with real gains at a time when we need them. For these reasons, I include my voice with those of the National Board of Directors and members across the union, by urging you to VOTE YES on this contract. We have posted the referendum packet online. Please review the materials there and watch member videos on SAG TV to see how actors who have learned the facts feel about this agreement.
Poor David has confused learning the facts, with learning their scripts.
In unity and looking forward,
David White
Interim National Executive Director
--
When talking to blogger Jonathan Handel, David White said “The deal is fantastic!” However when talking to the National Board, Mr. White stated “The Deal Sucks!”
So David, once and for all which is it?
Come to think about it, perhaps the two statements aren’t in conflict. Yes “The deal is fantastic!” if you are the AMPTP, however if you are a SAG member...
“The deal sucks 
"
Here is Seymour Cassel on the Stream TV website interview.
http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=1460
*And here is the latest video from Rico.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jp8BUvZvw0
| Home
| Contact
| Links
| Subscribe
| Classics
| Archive
| Search
| Watchdog Goodies
See the Seymour Cassel Interview on the TV/Theatrical Contract 
David White said “The Deal Sucks!!” And a new video from Rico!
|