SAGWatch

Best known as Alice Horton on “Days of Our Lives,” Frances Reid’s career began in the infancy of acting unions. She didn’t just join, she joined in, and just as audiences nationwide enjoyed her performances, performers nationwide were the better for her union service.

A statement just out from AFTRA says Reid was a member for 68 years, and quotes Los Angeles Local President Ron Morgan:

“Frances was a talented actress and a passionate union leader. She demonstrated both throughout her distinguished, award-winning career on ‘Days of our Lives’ and during her longtime service on the AFTRA National Board and on the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board where she also served as an officer. Frances cared deeply for her fellow performers, and through her many years of service on the Board of Directors for the AFTRA Los Angeles Frank Nelson Sick & Benefit Fund she provided comfort and support to many performers in need. She was beloved both by her fans and her union family, and we will miss her dearly. Our thoughts go out to her family and friends in this time of sorrow.”

NBC announced today that Reid died in Los Angeles yesterday at age 95.

In a post that has sparked a new round of union bashing, the Washington Post notes that union membership continues to decline, at least outside of government. For the first time the number of union members in government jobs is larger than the number in private industry.

But check out the comments… and we’re sure some of our regulars will have something to add in rebuttal to the bashers.

YouTube started a service for Indy films at Sundance, streaming them for a $3.99 rental fee. The total take?

$10,709.16.

The most for any single film? 1103 views.

They’re calling it a success. We’re calling it an example of how online media still doesn’t pay.

The DGA’s contract expires the same day as the SAG TV-Theatrical and AFTRA Exhibit A deals. Variety notes it’s the fourth time in a row the DGA has selected Gil Cates to lead its team…then retraces yesterday’s story about SAG matching and raising AFTRA’s one-step-closer moves.

Now…if you want negotiating power…maybe SAG, AFTRA and the DGA get together…

Ed. Note: An earlier version of this post drew a response from Variety’s labor issues writer Dave McNary:

Hello — As someone who checks your site regularly, I’d like to point out that your post tonight referencing Variety’s story about the DGA’s appointment of Gil Cates indicated that no story had been filed previously about the SAG national board’s action on Sunday. “… then plays catch up” is how you put it.

However, I thought you’d want to know that I actually did file a story Sunday night that was posted at 10:27 p.m. about the SAG board. Here’s the link –   http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014535.html?categoryID=&cs=1

A good deal of that story was incorporated into the DGA story today.

He’s right.

The official statement:

“It was moved and seconded that in light of SAG’s historically productive negotiating partnership with AFTRA, the SAG National Board of Directors directs President Ken Howard and National Executive Director David White to seek engagement with AFTRA in a joint bargaining agreement for negotiation of the Television/Theatrical Contract, under the terms of Phase One, modeled on the agreement used successfully in the 2009 Commercials Contract negotiations. President Howard and NED White shall bring a recommendation to the National Board at the earliest opportunity.”

The vote was 82%-18% in favor.

Here’s Jonathan Handel, with first analysis. The Wrap.

Our view: the Board met AFTRA’s volley with a lob back into AFTRA’s court.

AFTRA’s Strategy Cabinet, the key policy making committee, met last week and approved exploration of “concurrent” bargaining with SAG. That led to meetings between the SAG and AFTRA Presidents to work on how the negotiations could be structured, whether Phase 1’s rules would work. Apparently they decided the tried and true rules are still OK.

AFTRA’s National Board meets at the end of this month and will likely be asked to approve the plan. We’d be surprised if they didn’t, though it’s possible there could still be a detail or two to be worked out.

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The SAG board also approved 83 percent to 17 percent a review the initiation fee structure nationwide. Meanwhile existing initiation fee reductions in some RBD markets across the country were extended.

The current production of Camelot, which closes in three weeks, may be the last on the boards of the 93 year old organization.  The Los Angeles Times says the Pasadena Playhouse is almost $2 million in debt, and that a bankruptcy filing is possible.

Many prominent SAG actors have done turns at the Playhouse, which was named the State Theater of California back in 1937.