Here are more photos of Scott and his group as the merged in with those arriving at the beginning of the support Doug Allen and negotiting team rally. Scott's vigil continues tomorrow at 5757 Wilshire (2/4/09)He is going to try and get there at 9:00 AM, and would like for you to join him.

Here are some more photos of Scott Wilson's small, but hearty group protesting the Actions of NY and the Branches because of their coup of SAG Hollywood, with the help of the Hollywood Six "New York First" Board Members!

Understand that 85% of those who voted to fire SAG NED and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen and eliminate SAG's negotiating team and replace it with a so called taskforce controlled by, you guessed it, New York and the branches.

I talked with Scott today, and he said although his feet were sore, his spirits were soaring because of all the positive feedback.

He also said that he'll be back at his station Monday Morning, and would like to have more fellow members join them with their placards. If you think that Hollywood should have, at least, a proportional say in the negotiations then you might want to join him. (Hollywood members work 75 percent of the contract, yet N, which only works 25 percent of the TV/Theatrical contract will effectively have a 75 percent say.

I'll get in touch with Scott over the weekend and find out what time he'll be there on Monday.

In the meantime keep checking in with the Ol' Dog, things could get very interesting.

The THIRD DAY: The group grows

Update. Scott was out at 5757 Wilshire again today. Only this time he wasn’t completely alone as he stands up in protest of the New York & branches coup in which they have taken over our guild. Yes, Scott is fighting for our guild created in Hollywood over 70 years ago but a brave group of Hollywood actors. Only now, it has been hijacked by New York, and the branches, with the help of 6 Hollywood turncoat board members: Morgan Fairchild (Independent) and UFS’s Adam Arkin, Amy Brenneman, Ken Howard, Pamela Reed and Kate Walsh.

That’s right 85 percent of those who fired our NED Doug Allen, muzzled our SAG president, violated our constitution, made a mockery of proportionality by eliminating our negotiating team replacing it with a so-called Taskforce giving New York, the Branches and their cohorts control with a 7 to 3 edge in running these negotiations, even though Hollywood does 75% of the work.

I talked with Scott; he was out there SIX hours today and was joined by 5 other SAG Members. He said he will return in the morning at 9:00 AM (Friday 1/30/09( with his placard and will stay until 5:00 PM, if possible, as he continues to stand up for all his fellow SAG members. He. Also, said he hopes to be joined by even more members in his vigil.

I talked to my friend, and one of our all time great members, Ralph Morgan winner Scott Wilson today.

And he had just read the Richard Verrier piece in the LA Times and was, shall we say, just a little more than upset with actor/PRODUCER Matt Damon for his comments. Below Scott at 5757 standing up for his guild. I also included a photo of Scott back when he first started out in the business. And you have got to check out this video tribute to Scott on YouTube, it is pure early Wilson.

If for some reason my link doesn't work, you can take the following link, cut and paste it in your display window and it will take you to Scott's video, it is well worth it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yVyAFYamYo

I have some comments about Damon later on in the article, but Scott was upset that Damon had definitely taken the producers side and blamed SAG’s NED Doug Allen, Hollywood’s leadership and the SAG negotiating team for "the damage done" in an article in today LA Times. (1/28/09)

Of course, Scott and anyone else who bothers to open their eyes realizes the real "damage done" was not by our Leadership standing up for our members,

but those ready to rollover for employers, those who would deny the membership an opportunity to vote on a strike authorization, those who have changed the proportionality of our guild giving those who work 25 percent of the contract a 75 percent say on how its negotiated, and those hi-profile actor/PRODUCERS and others who proffer guild weakness.

By the way, don’t bet against Scott. The last time, he took on former SAG President Richard Masur, the leader of this USAN New York coup of the Screen Actors Guild, Scott won. Or, more correctly, our membership won.

Even back then Richard Masur was more than happy to hand members money over to anyone who demanded it. And this was even before he tried to give it to the Big agencies on a silver platter in their conflict of Interest ownership move.

Even back then, he wanted to give agents what they wanted, commissions on supplemental market residuals. Masur had SAG’s lawyers backing him on his bogus claim. But Scott disagreed. Masur, tried to explain that agents were the elephant in the room. Scott disagreed again. He told Masur that the Screen Actors Guild was the elephant in the room.

He then went on to make his case in arbitration. It is estimated that because of Scott’s tenacity and resolve, actors have keep over

100/200 MILLION DOLLARS in their pockets.

Anyway, Scott has promised that he will be out their every day, even if he has to stand alone, to try and stop the sellout of this guild to our employers. If you’d like to just shake Scott’s hand, or perhaps join him drop by 5757. He’ll be the good looking devil with the baseball hat and the placard. (1/29/09) he'll be out there from 11 AM until he has to go.)

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Fresh cast in place at Screen Actors Guild

The prospect of a new contract for Hollywood's film and TV actors brightened Monday after the Screen Actors Guild board appointed a new negotiating team and ousted the union's executive director.

In a dramatic shake-up of the union's leadership, the board tapped former SAG General Counsel David White as the guild's interim executive director after firing Doug Allen, citing a leadership crisis that has paralyzed Hollywood's largest actors union.

For now, Allen's job will be split in two. As part of the shake-up, John T. McGuire, a senior guild advisor, will take over Allen's role as chief contract negotiator and is expected to move quickly to jump-start stalled talks with the studios.

In addition, the union's negotiating committee has been replaced by a task force appointed by the board, which will work to secure a TV/theatrical contract that can be sent to members with a "positive recommendation."

And a con statement; That is assuming our New York Leadership does not expunge that rule also. This group has tasted blood and has proven they will take whatever measure they have to take to keep their power in place, even if it means destroying the great Screen Actors Guild.

Allen's firing marks a setback for the leadership of SAG President Alan Rosenberg, who had staunchly backed his executive director as a stalwart unionist. He warned that ousting Allen would trigger a civil war.

But the board, which used to be controlled by Rosenberg's backers, is now in the hands of directors who have been at odds with the union's strategy and tactics.

You’ll notice that the Times, or writers from other LA media outlets, never mention that the current situation is basically a coup by New York and the branches, with six Hollywood Turncoats, taking over the Screen Actors Guild which was formed by Hollywood actors.

LA TIMES "These much needed changes will allow SAG to chart a new course," the board said in a statement.

Changes that 82 percent of your Hollywood Board is against. And they represent actors who do 75 percent of the work covered under the TV/Theatrical contract. No, you won’t read about that from Mr. Verrier or Backstages Andrew Salmon and the others because Nick and the boys and their actor/producer pals like Hanks, Damon, and others don’t want you to know what is really going on.

LA TIMES A majority of directors from the 71-member board said they had delivered a "written assent" document to SAG headquarters authorizing the move to terminate Allen as national executive director and to replace him with White. The new leader is expected to start his job as early as today.

"I feel confident that with this move we can get a livable deal soon and start repairing the damage that's been done," Damon said.

Screw Matt Damon. Maybe if he and other actor/PRODUCERS had gotten off their sorry asses and supported the SAG negotiators in the first place, maybe we could have gotten a fair deal. As to Matt’s livable deal let him try and live off the 45/85 bucks that actors will receive for a years worth of unlimited reruns of their shows on the Internet. Let him have to agree to ‘consent use’ of his clips for a what amounts to less than a tank of gas as a condition of employment. But, but then as a producer he won’t be on the receiving end of those paltry pay outs but the giving end. Remember the worst the deal for actors the better the deal for Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, George Clooney and the rest of the actor/PRODUCERS that have come out parroting producer propaganda. YEP! THE WORSE OUR DEAL, THE BETTER THEIRS.

LA TIMES The new negotiating team is expected to reach out to the major Hollywood studios in short order, seeking a contract modeled on those secured by three other talent guilds. At the same time, the new negotiators will need to prove to the union's membership that the contract is better than the studios' previous "final offer," which was very unpopular.

Allen's ouster comes two years after he was hired. The union will pay him about $500,000 to buy out his contract, which had a year remaining on it.

Those who just fired NED Allen, at a cost of at least a half-a-million bucks, are the same ones that just a few weeks ago bitched about spending a $100,000 dollars for a strike referendum. Right! It’s all right for NY and the Branches to fire Doug Allen at a cost of a half million dollars but we can’t spend a fifth of that to allow our members to have their voices heard.

LA TIMES In a farewell letter to staff, Allen made no apologies for his record, which was marked by a series of clashes with board members and the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

"I am proud of my record," he wrote. "I wish the Screen Actors Guild and its members success and I have been honored to serve them."

The action underscores the ongoing tumult at the actors union. White is SAG's fourth executive director in just four years.

Allen's ouster was widely expected, coming just two weeks after the board majority attempted to fire him but was filibustered by Allen's supporters during a 28-hour meeting.

The board members who rebelled against Allen represent a coalition of so-called moderates who have accused him of mishandling negotiations and dividing the 120,000-member union.

“So-called” moderates. Way to go Richard. You’re the first writer in LA to label them for what they are “so-called’ moderates. Their actions of late have been anything but moderate. Now, if we can just get him to call them what they really are. They are not moderates they are “Lower-rates.”

LA TIMES Ned Vaughn, spokesman for the Unite for Strength moderate group, said, "This is a crucial chance for SAG to regroup and focus on what matters most: getting a TV/theatrical contract that the board recommends, successfully negotiating the guild's other contracts and improving our strategic relationships to benefit our members."

Successfully Negotiating” to Ned Vaughn, and the rest of the go-along-to-get-alongs, means taking whatever Nick and the gang hands out. These fools will go in there without a strike authorization, stick out their open palms and bring back what is put in it and will bring it back to the membership, flies and all.

LA TIMES A Rhodes scholar, White, 40, served as SAG's general counsel from 2002 to 2006. He left the guild to co-found a consulting company. In contrast to Allen, who had a confrontational and sometimes abrasive style of leadership, White has a reputation for being low-key and conciliatory, an approach that will be sorely tested as he faces a sharply divided union.

Although he was praised by Rosenberg when he resigned in 2006, White was not popular with some of the guild president's supporters. They perceived him as too close to former Executive Director Bob Pisano, who quit after a series of clashes with the board.

Not only was he was hired by then NED Pisano who now heads the “AMPTP friendly” MPAA, but many considered him Pisano’s protégé

LA TIMES One of White's top priorities will be to find a way to merge with AFTRA, which has been on the agenda of new directors in the past.

These USAN/UFS/AFTRA First group sure like to spend members money. The last fiasco cost SAG members over $4 million dollars. But Ned and his gang are determined to merge into Uncle Joe’s Union. (Ned’s name not mine) They are under the sophomoric idea that there is strength in numbers, a fallacy at best. The only numbers added to our union will be broadcasters, most of whom continue to work non-union, but, but, come to think about it, if this sorry group of board members sells out the core principle of our guild (that signatories can’t do non-union productions) then most of our members most likely will be working non-union anyway. But, but, again; If they have the actor has 'credits' it’s a union production, right? Yeah, right, and who makes that determination. The quild? No the producers! Duh!

LA TIMES McGuire is a 40-year veteran staffer for the actors guild who has negotiated more than 30 contracts. He is "held in enormous esteem throughout the industry and the labor movement," the board members said.

For McGuire to go back to negotiations without a strike authorization, would be like Superman going up against Doomsday after selling him kryptonite.

Posted: Wed., Jan. 28, 2009, 6:24pm PT

Threat of SAG strike still alive

Negotiations expected to start next week

By DAVE MCNARY

Despite the firing of Doug Allen and the expected resumption of contract talks with the congloms, the Screen Actors Guild's threatened strike remains alive -- at least on SAG's website, which still sports a list of 6,000 members who support a strike authorization.

As of Wednesday afternoon, SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers had not announced when they'll meet to hammer out a deal. But the first session is expected to take place as early as next week.

The moderate majority of SAG's national board booted Allen out Monday as national exec director and chief negotiator, replacing him with David White as interim exec director and John McGuire as chief negotiator. Allen's ousting had been widely anticipated ever since his supporters prevented his firing by staging an extraordinary 28-hour filibuster at the Jan. 12-13 emergency board meeting.

However, the changes in SAG's direction have not been fully acknowledged on the guild's website, which was still running a video Wednesday of Allen explaining why SAG needs a yes vote on the authorization.

"I'm Doug Allen, SAG's national executive director and your chief negotiator," it began. "You may have a lot of questions about the upcoming strike authorization referendum and you've probably given a lot of thought as to how you're voting on upcoming ballot."

The site also still features pro-authorization videos by Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen and Alicia Witt; president Alan Rosenberg; and board members Justine Bateman, Elliott Gould, Frances Fisher and Diane Ladd.

In response, SAG said Wednesday, "SAG's interim national executive director and staff are working, thoughtfully and deliberately, to expand SAG's many outreach efforts. Members can expect to see the first enhancements within days."

Technically, the strike authorization isn't dead since the moderate coalition opted not to kill it as part of the "written assent" measure that fired Allen, tapped White and McGuire and replaced the negotiating committee with a task force. But it's becoming a very longshot scenario.

A week ago, SAG denied a wire service report that its leaders had formally given up on the twice-delayed authorization vote, insisting that the operative action by the national board remained an Oct. 19 vote to send out the referendum if mediation failed. But the majority of the board grew increasingly convinced -- after mediation went nowhere -- that the souring economy had ruined the viability of a strike vote and that Allen needed to be replaced after failing to reach a deal.

Despite White's call Tuesday for an end to the internal battling, both sides have continued taking potshots at each other after Rosenberg accused the moderates of sabotaging Allen. Chicago SAG president Todd Hissong blasted back at Rosenberg for his characterizations.

"You contend that had we all simply abrogated our personal responsibilities to our members, shut up and got back on the bus, everything would have worked out just fine," Hissong said. "I cannot imagine a more cynical and delusional statement coming from a national 'leader.' I was not elected to rubber stamp agendas that adversely affect my members' well-being."

Meanwhile, negotiating committee member Scott Wilson began picketing outside SAG headquarters on Wednesday with a "Banana Republic of SAG" sign over the new provision in SAG rules that specify that only White and McGuire may speak on behalf of the guild -- meaning that Rosenberg can speak only on his own behalf. Wilson also blasted what he called "union-buster" high-profile actors such as Matt Damon and Tom Hanks for coming out against the authorization.

"I've had enough of high-profile actor-producers not respecting us," said Wilson, whose credits include "In Cold Blood," "The Last Samurai" and "Junebug."

Wilson, who won the Ralph Morgan award for service to the guild last year, isn't on the task force that will handle the negotiations and said he's resigned from the other SAG committees in order to be able to continue speaking out without reprisal.