A Watchdog Golden Oldie!!!!
The Old Dog thought you might enjoy this post from 2009. File it under the more things change the more they stay the same!
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And our belated Turkey Award goes to SAG Watch The site.
28 November, 2009 (19:10) | 2009 | By: Arlin Miller | [e]
Our belated Turkey Award goes to the most disingenuous website on the Internet that deals with entertainment union politics. *
In this category, there is, of course, this website, The SAG Actor & Showfax’s Bulletin Boards, along with Deadline Hollywood, The Wrap, Handel’s website and a few others. All of them but one, identifies who runs the website.
The only exception is the anonymously run Baghead website SAG Watch; an employer friendly website that, all evidence, indicates is run by AFTRA trustee member David Browde. Browde is an AFTRA member who worked non-union at CNN during the early Eighties.
Besides cowering beneath the cloak of anonymity our SAG Watch ‘gutless’ wonders spread innuendo and murky missives without any merit, or substantiation.
The following post is as indicative, as any, as to why these ‘Turkeys’ are the overwhelming winners of our 2009 “Turkey Website of the Year” Award. Their article is entitled ‘Rounding up the Usual Suspects.”
The Ol’ Dog has included a photo of the Usual Suspects when it comes to collaborating with our employers.
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Round up the Usual Suspects, and Say Thanks
Posted on November 25, 2009, 3:56 PM, by Editor, under SAG Politics, SAG-AFTRA.
Yes, we’ve been quiet lately. That’s probably good news and bad news, all wrapped up in one.
No actually, it’s just good news.
As we’ve moved into the Thanksgiving holiday, official union activity wound down, as it often does around holiday periods, leaving us with little to do beyond reading the repetitive and occasionally frustrating diatribes posted in a variety of places by the usual suspects from the hard and harder line factions, and the predictable responses from the more moderate and now in power.
Hardliners to these employer sycophants is anyone who doesn’t not carry a tube of KY-jell to union/employer negotiations.
That no one has compromised and no one has advanced the ball is unsurprising. The hard liners have the pseudo-moral high ground with their grandiose statements that they’d demand more, and get it too, accompanied by dismissive rhetoric aimed at the more rational, those who’ve already figured out that it takes more than a demand and a threat of a strike to actually accomplish something at a negotiating table.
And what have the rational USAN/UFS “go-along-to-get-alongs’ accomplished? We’ll they sacrificed pre ’74 residuals for the Internet, they gutted force majeure, gave up current residuals on the Internet, deep sixed clip consent, and for the first time in SAG history allowed SAG signatories do non-uion productions.
As we see it, that pseudo-moral high ground looks more and more like a little buildup over quicksand. Threats of lawsuits to “enforce” a misreading of 1950s documents? It’s enough to make one cringe at the foolishness.
You’ll notice they don’t specify those Fifties documents. Course, if they did then they’d have to produce them and give readers their “reading of them.” Well, let’s have a look at the Fifties document that spells out jurisdiction for both SAG and AFTRA.
Pretty hard to misread those. SAG has jurisdiction over ALL acting on TV except that done in the MANNER of a LIVE broadcast.
Meanwhile, the merger question is still a hot topic, though a real solution seems as frustratingly elusive as it has been over the past decade.
The only frustration here is that these employer kiss asses refuse to acknowledge that merger with AFTRA will bailout broadcasters and screw SAG actors by diminishing their pension plan. This from the Mercer Memo released during the last attempt at CONsolidation.
If all that seems like we have little about which to be thankful this holiday, that would be wrong. We actually have a lot in the past year about which we are grateful. First, the new leadership at SAG seems committed to a reasoned approach to all the problems that face us.
“Reasoned” approach; Translation: Members take whatever employers offer.
Second, the working performers in SAG and AFTRA have been energized, and seem engaged in trying to make things better on a number of levels.
Hard to argue against specifics like that.
That can’t be anything less than a good sign.
These no names make non specific statements while saying nothing. But then, it only takes a quick read of their AFTRA/Employer First website to realize that’s because they really don’t know anything.
And, of course, we have the staff members of all our unions, whose remarkable efforts may be largely unseen by the rank and file, but without which we would not enjoy the benefits and protections we have today.
Look, certainly the overwhelming majority of our staff members are dedicated to the welfare of their memberships. Unfortunately, there are those in power positions that are dedicated to THEIRSELVES and employer agendas.
To them, and you, our thanks, and best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving from all of us at SAGWatch.
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A.L. Miller SW Editor & Chief
* Since the above post, AFTRA, after an “Independent investigation” determined that trustee Browde did not own SAG Watch! Aaahhh, Okay.
