AFTRA Moving Ahead on Non Broadcast Industrial
AFTRA announced that it has appointed a Non-Broadcast/Industrial/Educational Steering Committee to prepare for renegotiation of the Non-Broadcast/Industrial/Educational Code. That contract expires October 31, 2009.
That’s one of the contracts formerly covered under Phase One. There’s some irony in the timing of the announcement – just as the flap over the Membership First/Hollywood Board raiding committee and disparagement is coming to a head.Â
The AFL-CIO’s umpire has now given both SAG and AFTRA time to consider and offer ideas on whether the previous actions require a formal response – which could include up to a $2 million dollar fine against SAG, or whether it’s still possible to keep going with more joint negotiation, which would seem to be everyone’s favored option, if it’s possible under the circumstances.
Also, AFTRA today announced it has signed two more audio books contracts, covering John McElroy Production and Talent Services and Mind Wings Audio. AFTRA has made a big push in the developing audio books area. Earlier this year AFTRA signed Audible.com, one of the Internet’s largest online distributors of audiobooks.
Does that mean that AFTRA and SAG will bargain as one on this contract?
m
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Admin. Response – No, though it also doesn’t mean the unions won’t bargain jointly. It’s AFTRA doing what it did before Commercials – setting up its own committee to deal with AFTRA issues and the W&W process within AFTRA.
Totally off-topic:
SAGWatch,
Would it be a horrible PITA to add timestamps to the entries in the “Recent Comments” section?
Just askin’…
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Admin. Response – I don’t know. I’ll look into it.
Thank you, Admin.!
Honestly, I wouldn’t want to you spend a BUNCH of time on this now (as busy as you must already be), but when you get to the final format, it would be really, really nice (as would, say, ten entries in that section…)…
a non audienced and non live production..tit for tat time
Speaking from experience, David? Tat–you’re it!
But seriously, can you elaborate? Readers the world over have no idea what you mean in your post (see above).
That describes theatrical films, too, doesn’t it, David.
Slightly relevant tangent:
My wife is a freelance book editor. Recently, she’s been working on an audio book project (under AFTRA contract) involving over a hundred different actors, many quite well known. Last night she had to listen to several of the disks prior to insertion of the sound cues. I had to laugh when I recognized the voice of a former SAG president and an avowed opponent of merger. Even if SAG is somehow able to “acquire” actors from AFTRA, he’ll still be stuck paying dues to two unions and not having everything credited to a single pension fund or health coverage.
Was the previous round on this agreement handled under Phase I?
VG
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Admin. Response – Yes.
I’m sorry…but what the heck is David Hillberg talking about? David, can you clarify? or…can anyone translate?
Marisa
David means that SAG should go after audiobooks (non-live, not before a studio audience) as tit-for-tat retaliation for AFTRA’s supposed “illegal encroachment” on SAG’s TV jurisdiction.
Can you tell that David wrote his own hit movie “Hangar Rats” all by himself? One of the best arguments for hiring a WGA writer ever made.