* SAG sides warn of dire consequences (Variety Mag) ?? Where have Tom, Matt, Sally and those originally supporting the current TV/Theatrical Rollback “Deal” Gone ?? And which supporters on the Vote Yes Video on the SAG Website are talking out of both sides of their mouth ?? We name names.

SAG sides warn of dire consequences
Contract drama enters what may be its final act.

SAG's seemingly endless contract drama has entered what may be its final act -- though both sides have warned that a no vote could still lead to a strike.

Each side is accusing the other of extensive distortion and lies in the 24-page ballot that went into the mail Tuesday to about 110,000 SAG members. And the backers have accused the opponents of wanting to take SAG out on strike.

"Saying no will not get you a better deal," the proponents said. "Saying no means you are looking at a strike. How long can you and your family survive on the picket line as our employers take even more TV and new-media work to AFTRA?"

The opponents, in three pages of rebuttal, accuse the backers of being "sellouts," allege the deal means an end to residuals and note that 47% of the national board voted against the tentative deal. And they admit that a strike is still a possibility if the pact's voted down.

"The powerful message of a no vote from our members will place the burden on the employers to make good on their stated intent to find labor peace and to negotiate a fair settlement to avoid a work stoppage," the opponents said. "If the employers refuse to reopen negotiations and/or impose the terms of this contract upon us, SAG may then ask its members for a strike authorization."

With moderates in control of the national board, it's uncertain that the board would be willing to ask members to take such a step -- unless the ratification had been voted down.

"This minority is misleading you because they want you to vote no," the proponents said. "But you live and work in the real world, and this contract brings you real jobs, money and protections -- real gains."

The opponents quoted national interim director David White twice as saying, "This deal sucks" during a national board meeting that took place before the final agreement was hammered out on April 17 -- prompting a bitter response by proponents.

"Apparently, the minority thinks the only way to convince you is to mislead you," the backers said. "They imply SAG's interim national executive director is critical of this deal. But the deal he criticized is not the deal that you are voting on."

Backers have positioned the vote as a way to end the malaise caused by uncertainty over the deal as opponents held out for sweeter terms than the other unions.

"The SAG national board of directors is proud to bring you this opportunity to get back to work," they said. "You'll find that SAG negotiators have made solid gains in the TV/theatrical contract, including immediate pay increases, better benefits and -- for the first time -- residuals in new media."

Opponents blasted the backers on more than a dozen points and stressed that once contractual formulas are established -- as they were on homevideo in the 1980s -- they are nearly impossible to change.

"The more things change, the more they remain the same," they said. "Employers still record, distribute and profit from our performances on every platform. The slim board majority uses smoke and mirrors to obscure the fact that employers are using new media as a weapon to pay actors less and weaken the union."

SAG president Alan Rosenberg has called the deal "terrible on every front" and predicted that member worries over new media will doom the ratification vote. But Adam Arkin and Ned Vaughn, key members of the moderate coalition that gained control last fall, told Daily Variety that they expect the vote to pass.

"The overwhelming reaction that I've gotten is positive," Arkin said. "People are excited that things are moving and that we're close to a new agreement."

Vaughn said the key component to the deal is keeping SAG's expiration in synch with that of the WGA, DGA and AFTRA despite the companies try for a three-year deal. "Getting out of alignment with a 2012 expiration would have permanently damaged our negotiating position," he added.

The ratification booklet -- most of which contains a summary of the two-year deal -- first notes the pact includes a 3% hike in minimums in its first year and 3.5% in its second year; a 0.5% hike in pension and health contributions; first-ever residuals for streaming of film and TV; jurisdiction over new-media productions that are derivative of SAG-covered TV and films and limited jurisdiction over nonderivative new-media content.

A quick view of the vote “Yes” Video on the SAG Website reveals there is not one major star--who previously supported signing this “deal.”

What happened to Tom, Matt, Sally, Robert, Meryl, and all the other previous proponents? You think, maybe, they changed their minds after the likes of the rank and file’s new Champion, Scott Wilson, stepped in to reveal its flaws, demonstrating how it would screw the little guys of our union. One would hope that they finally found a conscience.

Of course, there are always those who are alway willing to sign or say anything in order to continue working--at any cost, even going as far as changing their tune on the merits of this TV/Theatrical contract.

Here’s a look at the pathetic few willing to extol the virtues of this “Deal.”

Here is an excerpt from a ‘No Strike’ petition and a list of signees on this video that you just saw praising it.

“None of our friends in the other unions are truly happy with deals they made in their negotiations…as hard as it may be to wait those three years under an imperfect agreement, we believe this is what we must do.
We think that a public statement should be made by SAG recognizing that although this is not a deal we want, it is simply not a time when our union wants to have any part in creating more economic hardship while so many people are suffering.”

Steven Collins
Thomas Kopache
Sam Freed
John Kassir
Judith Hoag
Ed Begley, Jr.
Robert Pine
Mike Hodge
Chris Sarandon
Jack Coleman
Ellen Crawford
John Rothman
Mike Genovese
Mitch Ryan

Does the term talking out of both sides of one’s mouth come to mind? Now, I don’t remember hearing in the video that “none of the other unions are truly happy with deals they made” or that it was an “imperfect agreement” or that “This is not the deal we want.” Call me crazy, but, but I actually got the idea that it was the "deal" they did want. Obviously a case of "Producer Integration!"

Look most of those on this video are either New York USAN or UFS board members (or supporters;) And AFTRA Board members, and, not only that, but a number of them supported denying members a right to vote on a strike authorization in order shove this “go along to get along” deal down our throats.

Their conflicting self-serving statements prove once again THEY ARE NOT TO BE TRUSTED!