[NEohioPAL]ATTENTION ALL SAG MEMBERS: (SENT 2ME YESTERDAY)

[It's me, MITCH!]

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To learn more about this group who emailed me yesterday, go to www.membershipfirst.com

Mitch Berlingeri (BERLIN-jerry)
 
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF S.A.G. 

You have received a ballot in the mail and you have been asked by S.A.G.'s Board to vote on raising your dues. But did you know that it is being sent to you by the same S.A.G. Board that recently voted to allow Board Members to avoid paying their own dues for almost six months? 

Our union will only be providing you with reasons to vote YES on the dues increase. There will be no PRO and CON statement, nor will you be given any of the compelling reasons to vote NO. 

The majority of Membership First voted NO in the S.A.G. Boardroom and the overwhelming majority is sending you this email in order to give you both sides of the story so that you can make an intelligent, informed decision before you vote. 

According to an email sent by President Melissa Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer James Cromwell, the dues increase is to create a "war chest" that will show Management "we mean business" in the fall TV/Theatrical contract negotiation. "This is about financial strength and bargaining leverage," according to their email. 

No one disputes this fact: millions of dollars will be raised if our dues are increased. It is estimated that the figure is approximately $7.3 million dollars annually. 

But the current leadership has spent more than that over the last three years on the following: 

1) Merger-Consolidation ($1.7 million dollars plus hundreds of 
thousands of $$ in paid staff time.) 

2) 23 staff members earning $100,000 to $300,000 salaries 
($3,000,000) 

3) Raising the salary of S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano (to almost $500,000 including benefits) 

4) Creating and Promoting the failed ATA/NATR Talent Agency deal ($700,000) 

5) Renting office space in New York City that went unused for an entire year ($800,000) and which is now subleased at a loss of 
$4,000,000 over the next 20 years. 

6) Giving money away to AFTRA (about $300,000) 

Considering its past record of spending, what exactly will the 
current leadership do with your dues? 

President Gilbert's statement about a "war chest" seems to imply that some of the money will be used to support a strike against TV and Film Producers should fall negotiations fail. 

But the dues increase will result in an additional $7.3 million per year. That's a lot more money than is needed to support a strike. (The 2000 commercials strike, for example cost $2 million over six months.) 

What happens, then, to the balance of the $7.3 million after strike costs are paid? What happens to the next $7.3 million in the year after that? And the $7.3 million in the year after that? 

In his contract, S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano has been given tremendous, unprecedented financial latitude to basically spend ANY amount of money on ANY project. Even if S.A.G.'s stated intention is to use the dues money for "technology" or a strike fund, there is no guarantee that this money will not in fact be used to promote wasteful, expensive programs such as another ill-conceived merger-consolidation effort. 

President Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer Cromwell state that, "This is not about merging with AFTRA; in fact we will not discuss the issue [of merger] until after our motion picture/television contract negotiations have been successfully concluded." 

President Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer Cromwell do not, however, say how the dues money will be spent AFTER "negotiations have been successfully completed." 

Millions of dollars could already be in actors' pockets had the 
current leadership negotiated for even modest gains in DVD residuals (movie producers are earning BILLIONS in DVD sales.) 

And S.A.G. CEO Pisano, who ALSO sits on the Board of the DVD rental company Netflix (which has shared financial interest with major studios) took DVD's off the table during negotiations with producers for the recent one-year "extension.") 

Millions of dollars could already be in actors' pockets had the 
current leadership opened negotiations for higher basic cable 
residuals (which they could have done anytime over the last three years since basic cable residuals aren't part of the TV/Theatrical contract.) 

If our current leaders had gotten this kind of money for the 
membership and if they hadn't already blown millions of dollars, we Would be ready to consider a dues increase if one was needed. Obviously, however, we must vote NO. 

The majority of S.A.G.'s current board voted YES on the dues 
increase. This is the same majority that voted YES onauthorizing funds for merger and consolidation, YES on authorizing funds for Robert Pisano's raise and YES on authorizing funds to give to AFTRA. It is also the same majority that voted to allow S.A.G. Board Members the right not to pay their dues for six months. And in order to do that they voted to amend the S.A.G. Constitution. 

The following S.A.G National Board Members will be voting NO on their ballots: 

Elliott Gould, Esai Morales, Anne-Marie Johnson, Frances Fisher, Tom Bosley, Diane Ladd, Renee Taylor, Angela Watson, Angel Tompkins, Sumi Haru, Robert Hays, Rosemary Forsyth, Joanna Cassidy. 

The following Hollywood Board Members and Members-At-Large will be voting NO on their ballots: 

Gretchen Koerner, Paul Hartel, Yale Summers, Peggy Miley, Jeff 
Austin, Nicholas Guest, Anthony DeSantis, Cynthia Steele, Alan 
Rosenberg, Al Checco, Loren Lester, FJ O'Neil, Scott Wilson, Tom 
Bower, Bonnie Bartlett, Rick Barker, Gil Combs, Peter Mark Richman, David Huddleston, William Daniels, Bob Carlson, Laird Stuart, Mark Carlton, Robert Amico, Steve Barr, Mark S. Reed, Peaches Johnson, Millie Wright, DeWayne Williams. 

Before YOU vote, you must ask yourself two simple questions: 

"How has my dues money been spent in the past and how will it be spent in the future?" 

"Have I benefited from the millions and millions of dollars spent by S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano and S.A.G.'s current leadership over the past three years?" 

JUST REMEMBER: IT'S YOUR MONEY AND IT'S YOUR GUILD. 

PLEASE VOTE. Your ballot must be RECEIVED by June 1st or it will not be counted. 



MORE FOCUSED THAN EVER and (shh)-STILL makin' things happen!

http://TheAnswer.mustbehere.com

The fansite boasting over 6,700+ friends/ coming home, again!

(©1991 The MAB/EG--------The MAB/EG 2004©)










		
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<DIV><TT><FONT color=#0000ff>To learn more about this group who emailed me yesterday, go to </FONT><A href="http://www.membershipfirst.com"><FONT color=#0000ff>www.membershipfirst.com</FONT></A><BR><BR><FONT color=#0000ff>Mitch Berlingeri (BERLIN-jerry)</FONT></TT></DIV>
<DIV><TT></TT> </DIV>
<DIV><TT><STRONG><U>THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF S.A.G. <BR></DIV></U></STRONG></TT>
<DIV><TT>You have received a ballot in the mail and you have been asked by S.A.G.'s Board to vote on raising your dues. But did you know that it is being sent to you by the same S.A.G. Board that recently voted to allow Board Members to avoid paying their own dues for almost six months? <BR><BR>Our union will only be providing you with reasons to vote YES on the dues increase. There will be no PRO and CON statement, nor will you be given any of the compelling reasons to vote NO. <BR><BR>The majority of Membership First voted NO in the S.A.G. Boardroom and the overwhelming majority is sending you this email in order to give you both sides of the story so that you can make an intelligent, informed decision before you vote. <BR><BR>According to an email sent by President Melissa Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer James Cromwell, the dues increase is to create a "war chest" that will show Management "we mean business" in the fall TV/Theatrical contract negotiation. "This is about financial
 strength and bargaining leverage," according to their email. <BR><BR>No one disputes this fact: millions of dollars will be raised if our dues are increased. It is estimated that the figure is approximately $7.3 million dollars annually. <BR><BR>But the current leadership has spent more than that over the last three years on the following: <BR><BR>1) Merger-Consolidation ($1.7 million dollars plus hundreds of <BR>thousands of $$ in paid staff time.) <BR><BR>2) 23 staff members earning $100,000 to $300,000 salaries <BR>($3,000,000) <BR><BR>3) Raising the salary of S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano (to almost $500,000 including benefits) <BR><BR>4) Creating and Promoting the failed ATA/NATR Talent Agency deal ($700,000) <BR><BR>5) Renting office space in New York City that went unused for an entire year ($800,000) and which is now subleased at a loss of <BR>$4,000,000 over the next 20 years. <BR><BR>6) Giving money away to AFTRA (about $300,000) <BR><BR>Considering its past record of spending,
 what exactly will the <BR>current leadership do with your dues? <BR><BR>President Gilbert's statement about a "war chest" seems to imply that some of the money will be used to support a strike against TV and Film Producers should fall negotiations fail. <BR><BR>But the dues increase will result in an additional $7.3 million per year. That's a lot more money than is needed to support a strike. (The 2000 commercials strike, for example cost $2 million over six months.) <BR><BR>What happens, then, to the balance of the $7.3 million after strike costs are paid? What happens to the next $7.3 million in the year after that? And the $7.3 million in the year after that? <BR><BR>In his contract, S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano has been given tremendous, unprecedented financial latitude to basically spend ANY amount of money on ANY project. Even if S.A.G.'s stated intention is to use the dues money for "technology" or a strike fund, there is no guarantee that this money will not in fact be used to
 promote wasteful, expensive programs such as another ill-conceived merger-consolidation effort. <BR><BR>President Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer Cromwell state that, "This is not about merging with AFTRA; in fact we will not discuss the issue [of merger] until after our motion picture/television contract negotiations have been successfully concluded." <BR><BR>President Gilbert and Secretary-Treasurer Cromwell do not, however, say how the dues money will be spent AFTER "negotiations have been successfully completed." <BR><BR>Millions of dollars could already be in actors' pockets had the <BR>current leadership negotiated for even modest gains in DVD residuals (movie producers are earning BILLIONS in DVD sales.) <BR><BR>And S.A.G. CEO Pisano, who ALSO sits on the Board of the DVD rental company Netflix (which has shared financial interest with major studios) took DVD's off the table during negotiations with producers for the recent one-year "extension.") <BR><BR>Millions of dollars
 could already be in actors' pockets had the <BR>current leadership opened negotiations for higher basic cable <BR>residuals (which they could have done anytime over the last three years since basic cable residuals aren't part of the TV/Theatrical contract.) <BR><BR>If our current leaders had gotten this kind of money for the <BR>membership and if they hadn't already blown millions of dollars, we Would be ready to consider a dues increase if one was needed. Obviously, however, we must vote NO. <BR><BR>The majority of S.A.G.'s current board voted YES on the dues <BR>increase. This is the same majority that voted YES onauthorizing funds for merger and consolidation, YES on authorizing funds for Robert Pisano's raise and YES on authorizing funds to give to AFTRA. It is also the same majority that voted to allow S.A.G. Board Members the right not to pay their dues for six months. And in order to do that they voted to amend the S.A.G. Constitution. <BR><BR>The following S.A.G National
 Board Members will be voting NO on their ballots: <BR><BR>Elliott Gould, Esai Morales, Anne-Marie Johnson, Frances Fisher, Tom Bosley, Diane Ladd, Renee Taylor, Angela Watson, Angel Tompkins, Sumi Haru, Robert Hays, Rosemary Forsyth, Joanna Cassidy. <BR><BR>The following Hollywood Board Members and Members-At-Large will be voting NO on their ballots: <BR><BR>Gretchen Koerner, Paul Hartel, Yale Summers, Peggy Miley, Jeff <BR>Austin, Nicholas Guest, Anthony DeSantis, Cynthia Steele, Alan <BR>Rosenberg, Al Checco, Loren Lester, FJ O'Neil, Scott Wilson, Tom <BR>Bower, Bonnie Bartlett, Rick Barker, Gil Combs, Peter Mark Richman, David Huddleston, William Daniels, Bob Carlson, Laird Stuart, Mark Carlton, Robert Amico, Steve Barr, Mark S. Reed, Peaches Johnson, Millie Wright, DeWayne Williams. <BR><BR>Before YOU vote, you must ask yourself two simple questions: <BR><BR>"How has my dues money been spent in the past and how will it be spent in the future?" <BR><BR>"Have I benefited from the
 millions and millions of dollars spent by S.A.G. CEO Robert Pisano and S.A.G.'s current leadership over the past three years?" <BR><BR><STRONG>JUST REMEMBER: IT'S YOUR MONEY AND IT'S YOUR GUILD. </STRONG><BR><BR>PLEASE VOTE. Your ballot must be RECEIVED by June 1st or it will not be counted. </TT></DIV><BR><BR><DIV>
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<P align=center><FONT face=Verdana><STRONG><FONT size=1>MORE</FONT> <FONT color=#ff0000 size=3>FOCUSED</FONT> <FONT size=1>THAN EVER </FONT></STRONG><FONT size=1>and (shh)-</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=1><STRONG><U><FONT size=2>STILL</FONT></U> </STRONG>makin' things happen!</FONT></FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=Verdana><A href="http://theanswer.mustbehere.com/"><STRONG>http://TheAnswer.mustbehere.com</STRONG></A></FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=Verdana size=1><STRONG>The fansite boasting over 6,700+ friends/ coming home, <U>again!</U></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=Verdana size=1>(©1991 The MAB/EG--------The MAB/EG 2004©)</FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><p>
		<hr size=1><font face=arial size=-1>Do you Yahoo!?<br><a href="http://pa.yahoo.com/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=24311/*http://promo.yahoo.com/sbc/">SBC Yahoo!</a> - Internet access at a great low price.
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