* *alert *alert *alert Watchdog Exclusive: Results Of SAG's Postcard Poll to SAG's Membership shows that they overwhelmingly REJECT AMPTP “Final” Offer!

The SAG Watchdog has learned that the SAG membership responding to SAG's request for their feedback on the AMPTP "final" offer has overwhelming directed SAG's negotiating team to reject it and return to the bargaining table.

Of the over 10,000 responses, 87 percent voted against accepting basically what was the same deal that AFTRA agreed to. You remember in the AFTRA Exhibit "A" referendum only 62 percent voted in favor of the deal, and that deal was not only voted on by actors, but broadcasters who were solicited by AFTRA to vote "Yes" even if they had NEVER worked the contract.

This poll is the first clear indication of how actors feel about the producers proposals, and certainly indicates with an 87% rejection of the those proposals that the naysayers are wrong and SAG could get a 75% strike authorization, especially if the AMPTP refuses to return to the bargaining table, or eliminate some of their more onerous proposals.

Los Angeles, September 17, 2008 - The Screen Actors Guild National Negotiating Committee met today and was given the results of the SAG mail-in poll by National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, Doug Allen.

87.27% of the 10,298 SAG members who responded to the poll said the union should continue bargaining in an effort to achieve a fair contract. 12.73% of those who responded said they would accept the terms presented in the AMPTP's June 30th offer to SAG.

Postcards were mailed to 103,630 paid-up SAG members on August 28 with a return deadline of September 15, with a 9.94% return. Postcard return statistics matched almost exactly the geographic distribution of SAG members, with 56.07% of the responses from Hollywood, 20.83% from NY, and 23.10% from regional branch members.

The results of the poll indicate that members agree with the actions passed by SAG's national board in July and August:

July 26, 2008: "It is a core principle of Screen Actors Guild— That no non-union work shall be authorized to be done under any SAG agreement and; That all work done under a Screen Actors Guild contract, regardless of budget level, shall receive fair compensation when reused."

August 21, 2008 "To support the negotiating team to get the very best contract possible for our membership."

Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg stated, "I am encouraged to see that members-at-large agree with the strategy of the national board and their national negotiating committee. This membership poll provides clear insight and direction concerning how actors feel about their futures. Clearly they expect Screen Actors Guild to protect them from exploitation in new media, and to preserve longstanding principles and contract provisions."

National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen commented, "Our objective was to take the pulse of our members and I am pleased that the response reflects the resolve we have seen from SAG members around the country throughout this negotiating process. The AMPTP suggested we send their June 30 offer to our members to ratify. These poll results indicate that was wishful thinking on their part. We will now urge the AMPTP to roll up their sleeves and to put in the hard work required to bargain a fair, equitable agreement as soon as possible."

Here is the AMPTP response. The one you'll will hear echoed by SAG's AFTRA/AMPTP First contingent on their Baghead Blog SAGWatch (On the Rhine)--and from AMPTP media blog sycophants, who jumped on the AMPTP band wagon parroting their words by referring to the postcard poll as a push poll.

I love the part about materials accompaning the postcard as being one-sided. Hey, gang if you want to hear both sides fairly presented go to the AMPTP website, right Nick ?

September 17, 2008 -- The mass postcard mailing by SAG negotiators was a farce. The questions were devised to give SAG negotiators only the answer they wanted to hear.

The materials accompanying the postcard were hopelessly one-sided. SAG member votes were recorded by name, exposing those who opposed SAG negotiators to possible retribution. And some SAG members reportedly received multiple ballots.

In short, this mass postcard mailing was another exercise in futility by SAG's negotiators, and the results are meaningless. We have made a fair offer, with significant gains in salary and new media. That offer remains on the table, for the time being, despite steadily deteriorating economic conditions. In the meantime, we and all of the other industry guilds have gone back to work, and SAG members continue to miss out on the benefits of a new contract.