[NEohioPAL]Response to BILL JOHNS

Fri Sep 23 16:42:40 PDT 2005

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Bill:
=20

I always appreciate your reasoned comments, if I do not share your =
opinion. To your points, however:

=20

Altruism is an unselfish concern for the welfare of others. And as my =
unionism is concerned, I have that. I have always given freely of =
whatever limited knowledge I have of how to make a living in this =
business.=20

=20

The union is not a perfect thing, and there has been bitter acrimony and =
infighting within the walls of SAG national for some time. They also =
have less regard for members in "flyover country" than on the East and =
West coasts. That does not diminish my reason for being union.

=20

As for the union exerting power over its members, you have to remember =
that you are reversing the reality. The MEMBERS elect the officers who =
enforce the rules and bylaws in existence, adding to and amending them =
as necessary. The union is a democracy, and works like one. The power =
exerted upon is our own power reflected back; it is what the majority of =
union members want.=20

=20

As for SAG making sure that productions that are adequately funded =
utilize union workers, the union has been very successful in that, with =
the exception of runaway production, which is also being fought by my =
union, not just through Global Rule One, but also through organizing =
campaigns and efforts to unionize American productions shooting =
out-of-country. SAG can only exert the power it has; the power of its =
members. Ultimately, the threat of a strike is the last weapon in the =
arsenal, and it has been used in the past to excellent effect.

=20

As to the issue of union talent being able to perform in non-union =
low-budget productions, we've been on this pony before; There are SAG =
contracts available for low-budget and no-budget productions where you =
DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THE ACTORS!

I'm sure you've been to sagindie.org for the details, and your movies =
would fall under either of these contracts if you wanted to do so, so =
you are being disingenuous in your argument.

=20

And as to your last question, "Am I only supposed to give to my union, =
or am I allowed to expect something in return?" What I get in return is =
exactly what I expect; the knowledge that there are 200,000 people who =
think the way I do and are willing to fight for what is just and fair in =
what is often a heartless industry, and the ability to work to maintain =
that fairness. Altruism? No, just an enlightened self-interest.

=20

Sincerely,

=20

Mike Kraft

=20

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<DIV>Bill:</DIV>
<DIV>
<?xml:namespace =
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"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p>
I always appreciate your reasoned comments, if I do not share =
your=20
opinion. To your points, however:
<o:p> </o:p>
Altruism is an unselfish concern for the welfare of others. And =
as my=20
unionism is concerned, I have that. I have always given freely of =
whatever=20
limited knowledge I have of how to make a living in this business. =

<o:p> </o:p>
The union is not a perfect thing, and there has been bitter =
acrimony and=20
infighting within the walls of SAG national for some time. They also =
have less=20
regard for members in =93flyover country=94 than on the East and West =
coasts. That=20
does not diminish my reason for being union.
<o:p> </o:p>
As for the union exerting power over its members, you have to =
remember=20
that you are reversing the reality. The MEMBERS elect the officers who =
enforce=20
the rules and bylaws in existence, adding to and amending them as =
necessary. The=20
union is a democracy, and works like one. The power exerted upon is our =
own=20
power reflected back; it is what the majority of union members want. =

<o:p> </o:p>
As for SAG making sure that productions that are adequately =
funded=20
utilize union workers, the union has been very successful in that, with =
the=20
exception of runaway production, which is also being fought by my union, =
not=20
just through Global Rule One, but also through organizing campaigns and =
efforts=20
to unionize American productions shooting out-of-country. SAG can only =
exert the=20
power it has; the power of its members. Ultimately, the threat of a =
strike is=20
the last weapon in the arsenal, and it has been used in the past to =
excellent=20
effect.
<o:p> </o:p>
As to the issue of union talent being able to perform in =
non-union=20
low-budget productions, we=92ve been on this pony before; There are SAG =
contracts=20
available for low-budget and no-budget productions where you DO NOT HAVE =
TO PAY=20
THE ACTORS!
I=92m sure you=92ve been to sagindie.org for the details, and =
your movies=20
would fall under either of these contracts if you wanted to do so, so =
you are=20
being disingenuous in your argument.
<o:p> </o:p>
And as to your last question, "Am=20
I only supposed to give to my union, or am I allowed to expect something =
in=20
return?" What I get in return is exactly what I expect; the =
knowledge that=20
there are 200,000 people who think the way I do and are willing to fight =
for=20
what is just and fair in what is often a heartless industry, and the =
ability to=20
work to maintain that fairness. Altruism? No, just an enlightened=20
self-interest.
<o:p> </o:p>
Sincerely,
<o:p> </o:p>
Mike Kraft
<o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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