*alert SAG National Board Votes for referendum to end Phase One.

At the SAG National Plenary today, Saturday Jan 12, 2008, the national board voted to send out a referendum to the membership allowing them to choose whether they want to continue with the over two decades Phase One Agreement which gives AFTRA a 50/50 say in the Primetime TV/feature film negotiations with the AMPTP.

There has been a backlash to AFTRA’s poaching of SAG contracts and giving away residuals to the likes of Disney, Lifetime, TNT, FX, USA and other major cable companies. Most actors are of the opinion that it is time to end an agreement that has basically allowed AFTRA to control SAG’s contracts even though out of the hundred’s negotiated, AFTRA only has two shows affected by the negotiations.

The vote basically went down party lines between the majority Hollywood Membership First party and the minority USAN party made up primarily of broadcasters, voice-over and commercial actors which dominates New York and the branches.

"In light of the ongoing issues between SAG and AFTRA surrounding joint bargaining of contracts with the AMPTP, it is both prudent and wise to allow the members to chart the course of our union,” said SAG National Executive Director Doug Allen.

Obviously, those dissenting in New York and the Branches didn’t agree that SAG’s membership should have a voice in their destiny, since keeping true to form in a 60/40 split, they voted against the membership participation in the decision making. On, the other hand, the Membership First Hollywood Board voted to let the membership decide in referendum who they want to represent them.

In the spirit of democracy, the Membership Board Members recommended, and voted for a minority report, to allow both sides to speak on the matter. You’ll remember that during the failed consolidation referendum, USAN’s New York and Branch National boards voted against a a minority report in referendum in which they spent millions of SAG dollars to convince them to become media artist under AIMA.

01-12: SAG NATIONAL BOARD VOTES TO SEND REFERENDUM ON PHASE 1 JOINT BARGAINING TO MEMBERS

Los Angeles (January 12, 2008) — The National Board of Directors of Screen Actors Guild today voted to send a referendum to the membership on the following question:

“Shall the Phase I joint bargaining agreement with AFTRA (which governs the process by which contracts are jointly negotiated by the two unions) be terminated and the Constitution and By-Laws be so amended?

A ‘Yes’ vote will empower the National Board of Directors to negotiate a new, equitable joint bargaining agreement with AFTRA or, if that proves impossible, to allow Screen Actors Guild to independently negotiate the strongest possible collective bargaining agreement with the industry.

A ‘No’ vote will maintain the Phase I joint bargaining agreement with AFTRA as it presently exists without modification of any kind.”
“Unless we are able to correct the shortcomings of the current Phase 1 agreement, which AFTRA has thus far been unwilling to do, Phase 1 is as out of date as black and white television," said SAG President Alan Rosenberg.

The return date for ballots in such referendum shall be set by the National Executive Director on a date no sooner than February 15, 2008, and no later than March 31, 2008.

The vote was 59.49% for the resolution and 40.51% against with 1 abstention. The Board also voted that a minority report shall be issued.