Who is Unite for Strength

Unite for Strength is a diverse group of dedicated SAG members who understand that to fight effectively for our careers, we must be strategic and unified. New to SAG board service, we bring none of the factionalism that has damaged the Guild’s effectiveness . We offer instead our commitment to service and our extensive personal experience of what it takes to make a living in this tough business. We know that putting SAG's membership first means getting results for actors; talking tough is meaningless if it isn't backed up with strategy and unity.

 Here's what we pledge to do:

• End the fruitless war against AFTRA and create a united front of actors to fight for more working opportunities and better pay. The less unified we are in dealing with our employers, the weaker our position. That's obvious to everyone but Membership First. Five years ago 58% of SAG members voted in favor of a plan to consolidate the two unions, just 2% short of the necessary 60%. Soon after the vote, a professional, independent poll of the members found that 79% wanted to find a way to merge. But Membership First board members controlling SAG since then have done the opposite: they’ve driven the unions farther apart, turning them into virtual enemies. No union has ever won a better deal for workers by sowing division within their own ranks. We will turn that around so that the next time we negotiate this contract, everyone who works in front of a camera or microphone for our employers is on the same team.

• Ensure that the upcoming commercials contract negotiations don’t go the way the TV/Theatrical negotiations have. The commercials contract expires in October and if this SAG leadership stays in place, it is all but certain that there will once again be stalling, infighting and eventually competing negotiations with AFTRA. And with issues such as new media residuals, the explosion of non-union work both out-of-country and right here at home, and product placement alternatives on theatrical programming, this negotiation is critical.

• Finally address the needs of Hollywood background performers, who are uniquely hurt by many new trends. Runaway production, lack of jurisdiction in other parts of the country, the corruption and lack of enforcement of the outmoded 3-voucher system, and the WGA strike and current de-facto lockout have all meant that many veteran performers won’t work enough days to qualify for health insurance.

• Reestablish a relationship between SAG and our agents to restore the protections we need. Membership First defeated the agreement renegotiated 5 years ago, leaving us vulnerable to unscrupulous agents and onerous General Service Agreements. Now our only recourse is to hire our own attorneys. Only new leadership will get this back on track.

• End mismanagement and bring fiscal responsibility back to SAG. SAG’s coffers were badly depleted by the 2000 Commercials strike, but Membership First successfully fought a needed dues raise, leading to cut-backs in vital services like residuals processing and the monitoring of sets. They proceeded to spend with abandon - on pay-outs to get rid of staff they didn’t like, on the fight to defeat AFTRA’s contract, on weeks and months of stalled negotiations, slick publications, new positions, etc. It’s no surprise that we’re looking at a $6.5 million deficit – and that’s before taking into account lost earnings from the WGA strike and the current slowdown. We’ll get SAG’s fiscal house back in order by streamlining and updating backward and expensive operations like the paper processing of residuals, and stopping the loss of millions from lack of contract enforcement thanks to antiquated reporting methods (both were promised by producers in past negotiations).

Get Involved!

Joint SAG/AFTRA Commercials Contracts Wages and Working Conditions Committee Meetings to be held in Los Angeles

Joint Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Wages & Working Conditions meetings have been scheduled in preparation for negotiation of the Commercials Contracts that were extended from October 31, 2008 to March 31, 2009. All members who work the Commercials Contracts are invited to attend and participate. All W&W Committee meetings are open to all paid-up members of both Unions; participation is limited only by fire department regulations.

If you are not located in L.A. but will be visiting from out of town, please feel free to attend. Come early and bring your membership card.

Attention members who are actively producing:
SAG members who are actively producing cannot attend the W&W Committee Meetings due to conflict of interest. However, you are welcome to attend the evening W&W caucuses. Please check the Contracts section of www.sag.org for caucus dates and times.

W&W Committee Meetings Scheduled in Los Angeles:
Cagney Boardroom
5757 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036

November  17   10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
November  19   10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
November  21   10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
November  24   10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
November  25   10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
December  1     10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
December  2     10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
December  3     10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
December  4     10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

If you cannot attend, make sure your voice is heard. You may submit proposal recommendations by email at commercialswandw@sag.org or commercialswandw@aftra.com. The Joint Wages and Working Conditions Committee will review all recommendations.

You may also submit your ideas through the on-site suggestion boxes placed in the SAG committee office at 5757 Wilshire Blvd on the 1st floor and at the AFTRA Offices located at 5757 Wilshire Blvd on the 9th floor. Feel free to drop-in your contract-related thoughts and concerns. Please note that the deadline for submissions in the Suggestion Box is Friday December 5, 2008.

Your participation is vital to a contract negotiation responsive to the working members. Thank you for your time.

Upcoming AFTRA Los Angeles Member Events and Programs

• How to Turn a Non-Union Offer into a Union Job, San Diego, November 17, 7:00PM

• Equal Employment Opportunities Committee Meeting, November 19, 11:00AM

HOW TO TURN A NON-UNION OFFER INTO A UNION JOB in San Diego with Sheldon Smith
Monday, November 17, 2008 7:00PM to 9:00PM
Musicians Association of San Diego County Local 325
American Federation of Musicians, Rehearsal Hall
1717 Morena Boulevard
SAN DIEGO, California
Please RSVP name, AFTRA # and event title to larsvp@aftra.com

Has this ever happened to you?  A producer calls you and dangles money (a job) in front of you, only to add, "But it's got to be non-union?" A producer calls you directly, having heard your demo, you ask them to call your agent, only to never hear from them again?  A producer you've worked with before calls and asks if there's any chance you'll work "off the card just this once?" Award-winning voiceover artist, Sheldon Smith, will show you How to Turn a Non-Union offer into a Union Job! Sheldon, an AFTRA and SAG member, has been teaching this successful seminar for several years in Washington, DC, and New York. This highly intriguing and empowering seminar will be offered in San Diego, and he hopes to continue helping countless union performers enhance their careers by using his methods. He will help you understand the dynamics of negotiating these scenarios and to give you the tools you need, even giving you the script to do so! This is one must-attend seminar!   This information will ONLY be available if you are present at the seminar and will not be reproduced, so don't miss out!  Please RSVP ASAP!
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