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Gilbert hopes SAG returns with open mind.
Former union president applauds AFTRA-AMPTP deal
By Carl DiOrio
May 28, 2008, 08:11 PM
SAG president Alan Rosenberg's immediate predecessor applauded the AFTRA agreement Wednesday and said she hopes its terms aren't rejected out of hand by SAG negotiators.
A deal that she admits to knowing nothing about. That’s our Melissa.
"I think any opportunity for us to keep this town working is a good thing," said Melissa Gilbert, whose tenure as SAG's top elected officer included an unsuccessful push for a SAG-AFTRA merger.
"I will be anxious to see how SAG handles it going forward. They were pretty quick to shoot down the DGA deal, (so) it will be interesting to see what happens now that there's an AFTRA agreement."Essentially, AFTRA won increases in Internet compensation and other areas similar to those secured by the DGA and the WGA and also got the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers to dial down a demand that actors' consent no longer be required for the reuse of film and TV clips.
But details of the consent issue and how it is addressed in the tentative contract were still the subject of debate Wednesday.
Right, under the deal, actors must make a decision on Consent at the time of employment. Translation: The Middle Class Actor will for all practical purposes, have no consent at all. He either gives his consent, or he doesn’t get the job. Or, he refuses to sign the box of consent, and he goes on an uncooperative list. Yep, folks, we could be entering a new era of Blacklisting. Those, who refuse to cooperate, are put on a list, oh, no, not for political reasons, but, but for practical ones. 
Look that’s why the current provision 22 in SAG’s Contract with producers states clearly that ““Bargaining shall occur prior to the time such reuse is made, but performer may not agree to such reuse at the time of original employment.” It’s there to protect the little guy, THE MIDDLE CLASS ACTOR. AFTRA has just sold them out. So where will SAG’s Negotiating Team stand on the issue. Will they sell out the little guy for the sake of expediency or will they truly STAND UP FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS ACTOR?
Gilbert, who recently agreed to write her memoirs for publication in spring 2009, will soon relocate to Minnesota for the summer. She will appear in a musical adaptation of the classic frontier-family TV series that launched her career, "Little House on the Prairie," at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Gilbert said she hadn't seen many details of the AFTRA agreement but added that she thought AFTRA negotiators seemed to secure a fair pact.
Another in depth observation by our former SAG President. God Forbid, she actually learned the details of the deal before APPLAUDING IT! But, but, but…then why should she change now.
"I know it was very hard-won, and there are extreme opinions on both sides, between AFTRA and the (AMPTP) and between SAG and the AMPTP," she said. "The consent issue was a hot one, and it was also a very sexy issue. But it was a very dangerous game the AMPTP was playing there for a while."
Sexy…well maybe, if it gets used in a porno. Anyway, everything is hunky dory now that AFTRA has made a deal. Cause, we know that they have the best interest of actors at heart.
Gilbert added that she hoped the issue had been effectively resolved, as AMPTP negotiators return their attention to talks with SAG -- which, like AFTRA, has a looming contract expiration date of June 30.
Bless her little heart, she hasn’t got a clue. 
"They don't have a lot of time," she said.
Actually, they'd better have plenty of time, if they don’t want a work stoppage. Especially in light of the fact that the Consent issue has p*ssed off a lot of high profile actors, to the point that apparently, a couple of those stray heavy hitters have come back aboard. 
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A.L. Miller SW Editor & Chief
www.sagwatchdog.com
Formatting is SW's.
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AFTRA Deal: Melissa Likes it!
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