SAG's Ist VP Anne-Marie Johnson made the following post on Deadline Hollywood.
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As a National Board member and the 1st Vice President of SAG, I choose not to post on sites due to the fact that I, more than others, have ample opportunity to communicate with members via the Hollywood Call-Sheet, Membership Meetings and the Screen Actor Magazine. But after reading Deadlines story regarding SAG’s irresponsibility in hiring a publicity firm without informing the President, Secretary Treasurer or the national board, I could not remain silent.
I appreciate the posts of board members Justine Bateman and Clancy Brown. Their statements are both accurate.
The National Board met for two entire days last weekend and absolutely no mention of the hiring of the firm was ever discussed in session. I have no idea if Mr White chose to speak to certain individuals about the hiring but he certainly did not inform Pres. Rosenberg or Sec/Tres. Stevens. Mr. White assured the board that a hiring freeze would have to be implemented due to the guilds’ financial health.
It has been confirmed to me that this p.r. firm was indeed hired a month ago without consultation of the two highest ranking officers of the Guild. I find this absolutely unconscionable. I, too, reluctantly voted “Yes” to approve the FY2010 budget based on what I now believe was incomplete information presented to the board. Based on this new information and what I’ve found out in the interim, I only wish I could change my vote. Many board members requested a delay in any firings/hirings until earnings from the tentatively approved Commercial contract kicked in and also after other budgetary cuts were implemented. We were denied that delay. I cannot imagine how the recently laid off employees, many of whom chose to complete their week of work at the Guild and will be leaving today, must feel regarding this news.
It is no secret that I do not support and will be campaigning against the ratification of this contract. It goes without saying how damaging this tentative agreement will be to this union and its members. But what does it say when this union has to hire a p.r. firm, which specializes in crisis management and the resuscitation/rehabilitation of compromised individuals/companies, to assist in the “selling” of this contract to its members? Yes, during the 2008 negotiations, SAG hired a p.r. firm to help counter the attacks lobbed from the AMPTP, but that was done with consultation of the 5 officers and the original negotiating committee. The hiring of out-side p.r. assistance to combat the attacks from the AMPTP and A-list producer/actors was also discussed on several occasions during Hollywood Board meetings with former NED/Chief Negotiator Doug Allen in attendance.
The current actions of Mr. White must not go unchallenged or unanswered. The National Board or, at a minimum, the National Executive Committee must be told what actually took place, when this firm was hired, for what purpose and at what cost to the members. Anything short of that will be unacceptable to me and many other national board members.
Anne-Marie Johnson. SAG 1st V.P.
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Before we read how Freed Fudged on his facts to the New York membership, and the red hot story from "Deadline Hollywood, here is a great interview with Scott Wilson and Ed Asner on the “Full Disclosure” program. And will wind up the post with video and pics from today’s “Vote No on the TV/Theatrical Contract” that took place in front of the AMPTP. To see the interview clip the following link. (For some reason this link is a little tricky. If it doesn't show you the video, click it off and try again.)
http://www.fulldisclosure.net/flash/VideoBlogs/69.php
SAG hires pricey “Saylor” to convince members not to Rock the boat on their new TV/Theatrical “Deal” 
This from the Nikki Finkes “Dateline Hollywood" Website:
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EXCLUSIVE: New SAG Leadership Secretly Hires Pricey PR Firm To Push "Vote Yes"
SAG's National Executive Director David White has been telling everyone what rotten financial shape the Guild is in -- despite $27 million in reserves -- to the point that he's firing 36 employees and promising a hiring freeze. So you would think that the union would be on an austerity budget.
But noooooooooooooo. Instead, I've just learned tonight that SAG has retained one of the priciest flackeries, The Saylor Company (begun by ex-LA Times senior business editor and ex-Sitrick & Company flack Mark Saylor) to develop a PR campaign that will persuade members to ratify the SAG-AMPTP tentative contract. His other clients paying through the nose have included the governments of Dubai and Ethiopia, and indicted Broadcom guy Henry Nicholas. The firm claims it's "known for handling high-stakes communications and top-level media relations. The firm's professionals have advised major corporations, governments and high-profile individuals when the circumstances are complex and decisions are critical. Our clients count on us to map out strategies quickly and execute plans that deliver results."
I've confirmed that Saylor has been working for SAG secretly for the past month. Don't get me wrong: Mark Saylor is very good at his job. "The staff at SAG have spent the last year arguing against this contract. Now they have to argue for this contract," an insider tells me tonight in defense of Saylor's hiring. "Wouldn't you want to bring in a fresh set of eyes in thinking through communications strategy?"
But this follows SAG's recent hiring a 6-figure second banana mouthpiece to assist Pam Greenwalt in communications (even though she very ably handled the office by herself for years). To be fair, SAG's previous leadership hired Sitrick & Company's ex-LA Times senior business editor Jim Bates at what was described to me at the time as a pro bono modest rate to help part-time with the PR war that the Guild was facing mano a mano against the AMPTP during last summer's negotiations stalemate. But that was run past the SAG National Board. I'm told that by contrast the hiring of The Saylor Company was not brought to the attention of the National Board like it should have been during the recent two full days of meetings. Then again, the current SAG leadership isn't known for its transparency.
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To read more of Miss Finke’s stuff go to:
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/
This contract was barely “Okayed” by the New York and Branches controlled board by a slim majority, 53% to 47%.
You know, it’s one thing to hire a PR firm to take on our employers, it is quite another thing to use members dues money to side with a five percent majority in such an important issue that will determine the future of the guild.
But, now, with SAG’s new band of “go-a-long-to-get-along” compliant leadership, it is apparent that our guild is no longer serving the needs of Hollywood’s members where 75% of the work is done, but in a move like this PR thingy, where SENIOR STAFF makes all the decisions, it is apparent, SAG is becoming more like AFTRA everyday. But then, why should that be so surprising? It has long been known that most of SAG’s New York/Branches board members owe their true allegiance to AFTRA.
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Dear New York Guild Member,
There were two significant events this past weekend that will affect the lives of New York actors and Guild members across the country.
On Saturday at a meeting of the joint board of SAG and AFTRA, there was a vote to send a proposed Commercials contract to our joint membership for ratification. This marks the conclusion of a successful effort of both our unions to negotiate together for the benefit of all of us. The proposal will come to you with a unanimous approval of the joint negotiating committee and a recommendation to vote “YES” from both institutions. Details of the contract will be provided with your ballot that you will receive in a few weeks.
Hmmm, UNANIMOUS, that means all Membership First board members voted for the commercial contract! But, but, wait, if they're strike happy why would they vote for the contract? I mean USAN/UFS has been telling members that Membership First is strike happy? How did USAN’s Paul Christe put it today’s (4/23/09)Variety?
When the film version of Marat/SAG is greenlighted, they will serve as the Greek chorus howling at the moon and praying for a strike somewhere in the universe..."
Ah, once again, Paul has been caught with his head up his…ah, let’s just say a picture is worth a thousand words…what say you, Paul?
garblegarblegarblegarble….
On Sunday at a meeting of the SAG National Board, there was a vote to send a proposed TV/Theatrical contract to SAG members for ratification. This marks the end of an extended negotiation that has left us working without a contract since July 1 of last year. This contract will come to you with a recommendation to vote “YES” from both the Board and the recently constituted Negotiating Task Force that helped bring these negotiations to a conclusion.
Hmmm, no mention from Sam about how the board voted on the TV/Theatrical contract. You think Ol’ Sam wanted the everyone to assume that the board was unanimous on this one, too? Naw! It’s called “lying by omission,” folks.
You will receive detailed information about this contract along with your ballot. But in short the gains achieved go directly to the needs of the middle class actor.
That is as long as middle class actors want their network shows played unlimitedly on the internet in “Moveovers” for 17/24 days with no residuals, and then 6 months for a whopping twenty three bucks; And this while Fox’s Peter Chernin proudly proclaims that these “Moveovers” will replace network reruns. I hate to dispute Ol’ Sam but, but this contract is more about the needs of employers.
Raises in minimums, increases in major role performer premiums and the increases in residuals for primetime series reruns represent real dollars in member’s pockets. There is a .5% increase in pension and health contributions bringing the total contribution to 15%, a gain made even more significant given the state of our economy and the hits our funds have taken.
Sam seems to think a poor economy justifies a rash of rollbacks, even though the studios are racking in record box office revenue. And if Peter Chernin was not fooling and $786 dollars for every network rerun is replaced by a years worth of unlimited plays on the Internet for around 45 bucks…we won’t have an increase in pension and health but a loss of several hundred million dollars in P&H. Say bye-bye to health coverage.
Jurisdiction is awarded in New Media with the establishment of a residual structure.
Except for the fact that under the proposed contract formula virtually all of the shows that signatories make for the Internet will be NON-UNION
A residual formula is created for movie and television downloads that represents an increase over the DVD formula.
This is the big bait and switch; the current contract states that if the device RECIEVES the product it pays at the “Pay TV” rate (5 times that of the DVD Rate.)The lower DVD Rate applies to devices that CONTAIN the product at time of purchase. Now, you ask your self, does that Ipod or Computer hard drive CONTAIN the product at time of purchase, or does it RECEIVE it. Duh? But lets not confuse Ol’ Sam with the facts…he’ll take half of what members should be paid according to our current contract, anything to just keep working. (To read the pertinent clauses in the contract go to the following link)
http://sagwatchdog.com/cgi-bin/admin_config.pl/read/593
Because of the prolonged period of these negotiations this contract has a term of only two years. This was a hard fought concession that will allow our contract to expire with our sister unions and permit the option of joint negotiations in the future.
Hard fought concession? What a crock! There was no mention of a three year term, until Sam’s gang of “go-along-to-get-alongs” Task Farce ‘hijacked’ these negotiations. Obviously, Sam and the gang are more interested in the term of the contract than the terms.
Lead Negotiator and Guild Senior Advisor John McGuire deserves much credit for getting these negotiations back on track and making improvements from the deal that was presented back in June of last year.
What improvements…French Hours, and a couple of other demands that they would have obviously conceded anyway if our legitimate negotiating team had been willing to sell-out the membership on new medial. NED Doug Allen stated that we would have had a deal early on if this was only about traditional aspects of the contract.
David White, our new Interim NED, was instrumental in getting the AMPTP to move off their position of the term of the contract. The membership owes them much for their efforts.
Yeah, right, we owe (Interim) NED David White, who was in the employ of the MPAA/AMPTP only a couple of weeks before the USAN/USF controlled board slipped him in as their man. Hey, the only thing he and the Task Farce moved off of was the terms of the contract,shifting the attention to the term of the contract. Yeah, we owe him alright. But not in the way his mentor MPAA boss, Doug Pisano and the MPAA/AMPTP owe him. You think he might get a cushy position with his former bosses after he leaves SAG? Naw!
Ballots for this contract will be sent out in early May. You will have opportunities to learn more about the contract in consideration of your vote.
But only because there will be a minority report. You can read the entire contract in my previous post. Oh, by the way, our new leadership finally put the contract up on the SAG website, two days after the Ol’ Dog posted it.
Ratification will not only guarantee increases in terms and conditions but it will end the uncertainty that working without a contract has caused. Production can gear up once again and we can get back to work.
Hello Sam, we are already at work. There is no strike going on. And there is no guarantee that signing this turkey, will get us back to the level of work we experienced due to other mitigating circumstances like runaway, production, loans from banks, etc… I have read the complete contract, and there is nothing in it that guarantees increased production if we sign it. In fact, its only guarantee is that after we sign it, us and future members will not be able to make a living when we do work.
The recent changes that your Board has made are
bearing fruit.
The only fruit this USAN/UFS controlled board is offering is a LEMON!
We continue to move forward.
Forward? More like back to the future; back to 30’s before our union when actors worked non-union, got no residuals, no Pension and health, and no union protections.
In Solidarity, Sam Freed, New York Division President
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Now here is a pic from the Stunt communities rally at the AMPTP today, along with a video by Rico.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF1vkpDeNes
*Thanks to Thomas Furlano for the photo.
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SAG Ist VP comments on PR Hiring 
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