SAG to meet with AMPTP next week: Guild opts for low-key approach to talks

By Dave McNary, Variety
In marked contrast with the ousted Doug Allen, the new toppers at the Screen Actors Guild have opted for a decidedly low-key approach to the upcoming feature-primetime contract talks with the congloms.
Interim national exec director David White and chief negotiator John McGuire notified members in a rhetoric-free message Thursday that SAG's negotiating task force and staff will meet with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Protesters from the Membership First faction -- which has continued to support Allen and blast the AMPTP's final offer -- have promised that they will picket the start of talks on Tuesday morning at the AMPTP's Sherman Oaks headquarters. "If they sign the deal, professional actors like me won't be able to make a living," warned Scott Wilson ("Junebug").
White and McGuire gave a bare-bones preview in their message.
"We will engage in serious discussions in an effort to reach a fair, equitable agreement on your behalf," the duo said. "We have agreed with the AMPTP to refrain from negotiating in the press and have issued a joint statement announcing the talks, but we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you directly of these face-to-face meetings next week."
The announcement's also an indication that SAG and the AMPTP are brushing aside president Alan Rosenberg's lawsuit seeking to overturn the firing of Allen and the elimination of the negotiating committee. Despite failing twice to obtain a temporary restraining order, Rosenberg has warned the AMPTP that the moves are not legally binding.
The guild's national board installed White and McGuire on Jan. 26 as part of its move to fire Allen and then fired him again Sunday. The moderate majority had grown increasingly frustrated with Allen's inability to close a deal and his insistence on pursuing a strike authorization amid concerns from members that such a step was counterproductive.
The Membership First faction, which led a 28-hour filibuster a month ago to prevent Allen's firing, has already promised that it will oppose any deal that the task force makes with the AMPTP.
"We appreciate your questions, comments and input and have been reviewing the hundreds of emails and correspondence you have sent to the mailbox as well as those comments expressed to many of us directly," White and McGuire said. "Our membership clearly has a broad scope of opinions about the upcoming negotiations, and we encourage you to continue to share your opinions with us and with the task force. Your insights and opinions are helpful, and we are listening."
The tone of the missive represents a departure from Allen's hardline stance. In a message to members last month, he said, "The AMPTP's proposal will make it impossible for actors to earn a living for work in new media."
White, who worked at SAG as general counsel between 2002 and 2006, hasn't yet signed a contract with the guild. Due to filibustering at Sunday's meeting, the agenda item covering White's contract did not come up for a vote.
Any tentative deal reached by the task force would have to be approved by the national board before it's sent to SAG's 120,000 members for ratification.
The guild's contract expired June 30 with the companies making a final offer. The move to fire Allen gained momentum after SAG failed to close a deal in November at the last round of talks.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 14, 2009 $sourceSection$sourcePage