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SAG Chief Determined to Hold Strike Vote

Dec 16, 2008  •  Post A Comment

Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg said he’s determined to hold a strike authorization vote, following a three-hour Manhattan meeting where the union’s New York members criticized the guild’s handling of contract negotiations, the Los Angeles Times reports. After leaving the meeting, actor Alec Baldwin said he felt SAG’s current leaders should step down from the negotiating committee.
—Aimee Picchi

4 Comments

  1. Alan…get it. Resign your position…SAG cannot, nor can the industry afford you.
    Go back to reading lines others write. This script reached its END a long time ago. Now bow out! (The copyright rolled up and out of frame months ago).
    Peter Bright

  2. Alan Rosenberg has played credible roles over the years, a lawyer with mental problems on both Civil Wars and L.A. Law, an ex-husband of a tempestuous one time TV and film star(Cybill Shepherd)on Cybill, and, on two occasions, a beast of a lawyer and womanizer on CSI. He hasn’t done much recently, so he has devoted his time to leading SAG. Not a bad gig, but I think maybe he’s not remembering how crummy the economy is lately, and that’s why numerous members of his union are rising up in arms. I recall one of Rosenberg’s predecessors, William Daniels, only fought one big battle before calling it a term…the one over residual payments on TV commercials…a well-fought battle with plenty of support from all quarters and all industry unions…and Daniels and company won.
    I hope Mr. Rosenberg takes a moment to rethink this strategy. Picketing doesn’t pay the bills. Work does.

  3. Alan has no need to be concerned about the recession, falling T.V. ratings or declining box office. He has his residuals rolling in, has a wife starring on a Hit Show (Marg Helgenberger-C.S.I.)and has a bully pulpit. What he does not have, is a clear mandate from the rank and file regardless of which coast they work out of. He is filled with delusions of grandure and self importance. Do you want to know about him? Just ask him, assuming you have 2 or 3 hours free time. It is certain he does not care about the below the line folks or or the avg TV viewer or theater patron.

  4. While I agree that this isn’t the best time to consider such a drastic measure as a SAG strike, I can’t help but shake a couple things that bother me as an on / off actor for the past 22+ years:
    Home Video (VHS) was “New Media” back in the late 1970’s & early 80’s and so studios / producers needed time to “develop the business”. As time went… VHS got cheaper to produce, more vidstores, more VCR’s in the home… more profit to the producers & studios…. little if any to the writers & actors. Then came DVD… same thing..eventually more DVD players…cheaper production… more $$$ to producers / studios…. very little to writers, actors. If I’m not mistaken, I last read that for every DVD sold for $16, less than 20 cents goes to the actors to be split among the players who appeared in the DVD… does anyone feel this is “fair”?
    Home Video was once the “New Media”… and today programs are being offered for replay on network websites for free…but not without web-commercials, banner ads & clickthroughs. HULU.com is making money… what’s the diff between replaying on broadband and off-network syndication?
    And there’s the nonunion talent issue for low-budget new media….for signatory producers… uh….hello? Does anyone see this as appropriate? Or should we just forget SAG ( and WGA and AFTRA ) and do what they do in Europe and deal with buyouts?
    Sorry but there’s a lot at stake… and in the 20+ years that home video has been around, the writers & actors haven’t gotten a decent payout yet. New Media is the same deal as before and this is what has many SAG folks ( myself included ) deeply concerned.
    FWIW

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