In case you’re not one of the six Slog readers who’s very concerned with the parliamentary doings of SAG, some background.
The SAG board majority has been fighting with executive director Doug Allen while SAG members have been without a contract for nearly seven months.
“We firmly believe that SAG needs a change of course and a new captain,” the board members said. “Mr. Allen has held fast to a failed strategy for over half a year, even as members have lost nearly $50 million from working under an expired contract.
But apparently the board hasn’t been able to fire Allen because of its weird president:
In a meeting two weeks ago, a majority of the board sought to make the crucial changes now contained in the written assent, but were derailed by President Alan Rosenberg and a minority of board members through endless parliamentary games and improper behavior. By filibustering for over 28 straight hours, they prevented the Board from ever taking a vote on the majority’s proposal.
This unprecedented level of obstruction has paralyzed the Guild.
So they pulled the “written assent” move, in which the board can submit votes in writing, doing an end-run around the filibuster.
David White is now the interim national director of the Screen Actors Guild.
Be all rejoiceful and shit.
Has Doug Allen ever been in any movies? IMDB doesn’t any movies for him. How do you get that job without being a screen actor?
@1: He probably did just enough work (in a commercial or as an extra, neither of which would be listed in IMDB) to get his SAG card, then started up the admin ladder.
Suffice it to say that the forces of good are at work here. Under Allen and (President) Rosenberg’s leadership, SAG was heading for an ill-advised strike. With this coup by the national board, it looks like cooler and more realistic heads will prevail. Hopefully, this marks the beginning of a 21st-century labor movement mentality among SAG and other unions.
@1:
Mr. Allen (who, BTW just sent an email to the world indicating his employment with SAG has been “terminated”) is a former professional football player, and was previously National Assistant Executive Director for the National Football Players Association.
When has SAG not had a weird president?
I include Reagan in my observation.
@2:
Given the current economic climate, and the continuing hangover from the WGA strike last year, most observers have been of the opinion that SAG membership would not have voted to strike, which was part of the dilemma facing Allen & Rosenberg. The threat of a strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) was the only possible chip they had left to play, and it’s been pretty clear they didn’t have the 75% voting majority need to authorize one (though SAG execs and the “Members’ First” faction that until recently dominated both the Hollywood, and by extension, national councils would never have admitted such); and I think the producers knew that as well.
If this holds up legally (and @3’s comment would seem to bear this out), then the resulting shake-up of national leadership at SAG might be enough to re-open talks with producers. The question will be whether a new negotiating team will be able to wrest a few additional concessions out of the AMPTP, or whether they’ll be forced to present the “last best offer” on the table when negotiations ground to a halt to members for approval.
@4:
Well, I don’t think one can honestly say they were ALL “weird”.
That’s true, Comte. I should have said “heading towards an ill-advised strike vote.” Trying to keep it simple for all 6 of the non-SAG folks trying to following along on this thread. 😉
Reading some of the comments in @3’s link, you get the sense that the membership truly believes that a new voice and a new direction is necessary, that not only was the Allen/Rosenberg team not helping matters, they were doing damage to the union’s process, image and standing in the labor community. It’s going to take more than just hope to fix things, of course, but I think this move is a welcome fist step. Sound familiar?
Daily Variety Online just confirmed it. Allen is out & former SAG General Council David White is in as interim ED.
@4 I was on the Board for a couple years representing Seattle / NW and Melissa Gilbert was actually pretty great. It’s the LA douchebags who are running their majority caucus like – dare I say it – republicans in the 90s as they climbed to power. The folks from “Membership First” are full of washed-up, worn-out, broken-down cranks who brought nothing to SAG but the very worst of the Hollywood spirit. Bleh. Glad to see David White in charge now! He’s a bright man with a good spirit and a giant brain to match.