*alert Big Rally, Wednesday (3/18/09) at CBS Television City at Fairfax. 11:AM-200PM !! See ya there !! The End of Class “A.” AFTRA is having Extra Casting problems in San Francisco.

There will be a Rally at CBS Studios on Fairfax between Beverly and Third on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 11am - 2 pm. Parking at the Farmers Market or the Grove.

Les Moonves, CEO of CBS has called for an end to residuals. His network spent $1.8 billion to purchase C-Net to have a home for Internet streaming. The end of residuals is underway.

We must fight to defend our residuals, pensions, health care and SAG agents. Vote NO on the contract.

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Well, kiddies it looks like the End of Class “A!” You remember Class “A” one of the main reasons we struck in 2000. Well, Our AFTRA First SAG negotiating team is apparently ready to give up the pay per play system and replace it with a system where, basically, your pay will be determined by ratings.

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With its contract talks with SAG and AFTRA in a news blackout, the ad industry has unveiled outlines of the contract proposals -- revealing that the two sides were far apart at the start of negotiations two weeks ago.

Let’s see if the Ol’ Dog has got this straight, there’s news blackout on the contract talks, and the industry has reveled details of the contract proposals. Well, at least now we know we can trust them. Ah, right.

Varitey: Key demand for the actors is a 6% annual salary hike over three years in all categories including adjustments, allowances and expense reimbursement.

Wow! 6 % annual salary hike over the next the next three years. Hmmm…best think like the Ol’ Trout here. When that big old fly, sammon egg, or juicy worm comes floating by, and it looks too good to be true, chances are it is too good to be true. Yep, it’s what is called a lure, and if you go for it. You’re hooked.

Varitey: The initial proposal from advertisers called for a structural revamp of the compensation system based on gross rating points rather than the traditional pay-per-play method.

Gross being the operative word here. Say, bye, bye to Class “A” pay per play commericals. Okay, let’s follow the bouncing ball.

Varitey: Under the proposal, thesps would continue to receive about $900 million in annual pay -- "current aggregate compensation levels intact" is how the ad biz negotiators described it -- but the allocations would be shifted to reflect changes in viewing patterns.

Not that I don’t trust these guys, but, but if we had taken their deal back in 2000, SAG would be taking in about $500 million a year in annual pay instead of the $900 million we are currently collecting. Buyer…ah, I meant Trout beware. Also, if we’re currently making $900 million in annual pay and the new new contract is worth $900 thru the nexts three years then the annual 6% increase is meaningless…ah, don’t that end up being ZERO increase in three years. Ah, ah, I don’t know but that don’t sound like a real good deal to me.

Varitey: Douglas Wood, lead negotiator for the industry, gave out the details in a Tuesday presentation at a conference held by the Assn. of National Advertisers. Talks are in recess this week and will resume Monday; the contract expires March 31.

In his presentation, Wood also disclosed that the unions are seeking a hike in the pension and health contributions by employers from the current 14.8% to 16% while the ad industry seeks a cap on contributions. The ad industry has long complained that advertisers pay a disproportionate amount -- far more than movie and TV producers -- into SAG's P&H fund, partly due to the absence of contribution caps in the commercials contract.

Varitey: That means advertisers have been required to make P&H contributions for actors making more than $125,000 per engagement, even when the actor's compensation included "noncovered" services such as print advertising and public appearances. But the ad industry won a key ruling in federal court in December that upset three decades of practice. The judge found that disputes over P&H contributions must be resolved by mandatory bargaining on a case-by-case basis (Daily Variety, Dec. 23).

Yep, the Old Sniffer is still working…ROLLBACK! The money lost by the employers cap, will by far outweigh the small pension increase. .

Varitey: SAG and AFTRA also proposed that all stunt drivers be classified as principals while the industry asked that the definition be narrowed to require that a stunt involve both skill and a hazard.

Varitey: The unions also demanded that athletes hired for athletic performance be deemed principals; that Internet and new-media rates be increased by an additional session fee; and that actors receive a holding fee for made-for-cable in exchange for exclusivity.

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Look, this contract is being brokered by AFTRA negotiators and their New York USAN counterparts on the Negotiating Team. Here’s the way it works and why Hollywood actors have absolutely no say in these negotiations even though they do the majority of the work. The thirteen AFTRA negotiators will vote in lockstep, as they have always done, along with the 6 New York and branches delagates thus giving them a 19/7 edge in the decision making; this on a contract where they only have a 10 percent stake in the outcome of the agreement. And, if you don’t believe that check out this smoking gun letter from then AFTRA NED Greg Hessinger saying that AFTRA should only pay ten percent of the cost of the strike because AFTRA only had a ten percent stake in the contract.

September 7, 2001
Mr. John T. McGuire
Associate National Executive Director
Screen Actors Guild
1515 Broadway, 44 Floor
New York, NY 10036

Re: 2000/2001 Commercials Contract Strike Costs

Dear John:

This letter is in response to your April 12, 2001 letter and further follows up on several conversations that you and I have had on the subject of costs incurred during the Commercials Contract strike.

In your letter, you indicated that the total strike costs compiled by the Guild amounted to $2,435,939. which you later updated to a final figure of $2,483,118. As you know, following AFTRA’s receipt of your letter, we engaged in a dialogue to seek mutual agreement on an appropriate division of these costs between the unions.

After considering numerous relevant factors, we ultimately agreed that a pro-rata division of these costs on the basis of the unions respective shares of the total television and radio commercials earnings would be a fair and equitable resolution. Applying that formula to the strike cost figures, AFTRA's share (10.8%) amounts to $268.177.

Following our discussions, you presented this suggested approach to the SAG Finance Committee, which I understand fully endorsed it. Based upon this endorsement, I recently recommended the same approach to the AFTRA National Board. I am happy to report that the AFTRA Board approved the recommendation, conditioned upon final approval by the SAG National Board. AFTRA is prepared to remit payment immediately upon notice of such approval.

In closing, I would like to emphasize that the AFTRA Board also expressed the sincere hope that we could close this final chapter of our recent joint negotiations on a positive note of mutual cooperation, which after all, was the essence of our unions relationship throughout the Commercials and TV/Theatrical negotiations. The legacy is something to be built upon, not torn apart. I hope that the SAG Board will similarly and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Greg Hessinger
National Executive Director

Oh, and I thought you’d like to know the guy who wrote that letter, and former AFTRA and SAG NED Greg Hessinger is on the JPC Negotiating team. Yep, he’s negotiating against SAG. Do you think he has the ear of the AFTRA negotiators and their cohorts, the USAN AFTRA First Negotiators out of New York and the branches. The same negotiators who followed blindly when he was SAG NED.

I would say employers, pretty well, have things sewed up against SAG. Hello! Our current NED David White, who until a few weeks ago was collecting a paycheck from the MPAA/AMPTP, is now heading a Task Farce supposedly negotiating the TV/Theatrical contract on behalf of SAG members. And they are being led by a guy, who on members behalf, is going against his former employer, mentor and former boss Whipsaw Bob Pisano

All three have either been, or are currently in the employ of our employers. Ah, you think there just might be a conflict of interest here?

Oh, and AFTRA who has poached our shows with lowball contracts, residual giveaways, and a compliant approach to employers, is now poaching our members.

This out of San Francisco. AFTRA has been sending casting calls out to members. The first one went like this:

Subject: AFTRA Background for Trauma NBC TV PIlot

This Beau Bonneau Casting notice is for AFTRA member outreach and is intended for those willing to work as AFTRA background for Television. Please disregard if you are not interested, or read thoroughly for details. We cannot receive emails at this address, so do not reply. No phone calls to the office are being accepted. Thank you.

Beau Bonneau Casting is seeking local AFTRA background actors 18 - 75 years old for Trauma, an NBC Television Pilot. Trauma is a fast paced medical drama revolving around accidents, injuries, and the professionals that respond to them. The pilot will be shooting March 23 - April 17 in the San Francisco area.

Well, apparantly, that one didn’t get them the little something extra they had hoped to gain by going AFTRA, so it wasn't long before their next plea went out.

Casting Notice

Project Name:Trauma TV Pilot Extras
Project Type:Film TV
Format:
Rate/Compensation:

Message:

* If you are an AFTRA member who is also SAG, please disregard this notice and follow only AFTRA member instructions! This notice is intended for SAG members that are not AFTRA, but want to be considered for background work on Trauma. Beau Bonneau Casting is seeking local AFTRA background actors 18 â?" 60 years old for Trauma, an NBC Television Pilot.

* Beau Bonneau Casting will be casting AFTRA members first for Trauma, a total of 20 per day. We are now accepting SAG availability from SAG members who are "AFTRA willing" : meaning you have never worked an AFTRA job and are available for an AFTRA Taft Hartley. If you fit a role than an AFTRA member cannot fill, you may be selected, but it is not guaranteed. If you already submitted through sfcasting, there is no need to submit again. *** IMPORTANT: Under the AFTRA contract, only one Taft Hartley is issued whether the work performed is principal or background. AFTRA status turns in to AFTRA Must Join status 30 days after the original work date.

If you have already received a Taft Hartley for AFTRA work you are already an AFTRA Must Join and cannot work on this production without joining first. You can join AFTRA at anytime, however there is no guarantee that you will be cast and/or employed by this production. You must check your AFTRA status prior to submitting for this project!!! To check your AFTRA status or eligibility, call the local AFTRA office (415) 391-7510 and ask for MaryAnn in membership

Like I said, First AFTRA poached SAG’s shows. Now, in essence, it’s poaching SAG members. And it will continue to do both until someone at SAG demands that the AFL-CIO enforce its 4A’s Charter which gives SAG jurisdiction on all acting on TV, except that done in the MANNER OF A LIVE BROADCAST. If actors demanded a vote on who they want to represent them, it would be no contest about who they would choose. Just as it was no contest back in the early Fifties when they voted overwhelmingly to give jurisdiction to SAG.

Now, why are all these shows going to AFTRA to the detriment of SAG actors? Certainly not because AFTRA is a more prestiges union. Look, SAG members have to face the facts that the major agents are persauding their clients to work AFTRA shows because it allows them to have a piece of the action under the “Conflict of Interest,” deal. A deal which AFTRA’s leadership gave them for a $ Half-a-Million dollar payoff. The “deal” allows agents to own twenty percent of the show. And then, we have the studios who would prefer to work with a compliant union like AFTRA, rather than SAG which still has some backbone. Look the bottom line is that AFTRA is getting shows because it is willing to sellout actors. And until actors rebel they will continue to do so.