Report from the Lightly Attended Hollywood Membership Meeting — UPDATED
As is often the case, most of the small crowd appeared to be Membership First supporters.
AMJ asked Duncan to reiterate the terms of the non disparagement agreement.
AMJ introduced AR (long loud standing ovation) who commented that the last 4 years were extraordinary and those in attendance were the “true†union, he thanked them for their support and said the “struggle will continue.â€
Paul Napier (big standing ovation) got up to present the Ralph Morgan awards but first introduced previous winners (big standing ovations.)
Some of his other comments:
“Unlike today, our negotiators always went in with a strike authorization in their pocketâ€He then went into political mode listing a litany of the creed of MF and concluding that the only way to negotiate is with a strike or the threat of a strike and then he derided the new media contract terms. His final message is that the members “must support the next negotiation team regardless of political sensibilities.â€
Apparently his job was to introduce Bernie Casey (big standing ovation). Bernie’s contribution was that if “we are not mindful we will be abused, run over and bulldozed repeatedly.â€
Sumi Haru (big standing ovation) observed that ‘we don’t have a big crowd because the contract had been approved. (If there were 200 people there I’d be surprised) She spoke about all the ridiculous parts she has been asked to audition for and how demeaning they are because they are all based on her being of Asian origin.
Other comments of the day
AMJ “You approved the contract based on the hope it can be improved in the future†and urged members to stand together. She spoke about the closure of the home and urged the national board to take a stance.
David White congratulated George and Sumi but ‘challenged’ George’s rather aggressive urgings about fighting with the comment that we have to “rely on our ability to be smart in our strategy and gain unity, not just be ready to strike†to be credible
The Q&A followed.
One asked how to get an agent; one asked why the BG rules are different in NY and here. One said this was her first meeting in 40 years of membership because she always had “other things to do when we had meetingsâ€
Someone proposed that Sumi’s pic be included with the other president’s because she served as an interim pres. at one point. The other comments were of little essence and I left.
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UPDATE: Variety concurs with the estimate of 200 in attendance, in the course of speculating as to possible SAG presidential candidates.
Sounds like the picnic they had, only indoors. MF is still circling the wagons (on union time in this case), even though it’s increasingly obvious that less and less people care what their views are at this point. Their street cred is slipping away day by day. I think David White made a good point about being smart in our strategy and going in unifed…not JUST being ready to strike. Good common sense there. I’m glad he made that point openly.
Variety refers to Membership First as “self-styled progressives.” I guess their PR firm let them know that “hardliners” wasn’t going to attract much outside support.
I can’t wait until the campaign starts and we start to hear:
“We’re The Progressives! Join Us In Our March to 1952!”
The 200 in attendance were the “true” union”….you mean the 78% that voted to approve the contract were not?! Talk about having lost complete touch with reality…
Umm, aren’t populist political movements supposed to be, well, popular? More popular than telling a corporal’s guard that they’re the true union?
All of this talk about “oppression” and “struggle” is straight out of the social psychology discussed by Eric Hoffer in The True Believer. It works primarily with unhappy people who want to blame others for their situation.
VG
“One asked how to get an agent; one asked why the BG rules are different in NY and here.”
Oh yeah sure, these are middle class actors. Lets see Roseneberg show up at a 399 meeting and see if he gets a standing ovation – or show up on any lot for that matter and see how much he is hated by all those he hurt.
Lets see Roseneberg show up at a 399 meeting and see if he gets a standing ovation – or show up on any lot for that matter and see how much he is hated by all those he hurt.
I know plenty of unhappy crew people, but just about none of them is aware of what’s really been going on. I didn’t either – reading SAG Watch has been one heck of an eye-opening experience for me…!
They remain clueless. Giving themselves awards and standing O’s while the water pours over the gunwhales of their listing antiquated boat. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. Alan doesn’t realize that the “true” union has spoken, as they paint themselves into a shrinking corner.
Billy said: “I know plenty of unhappy crew people, but just about none of them is aware of what’s really been going on.”
Oh we know Billy – and we don’t forget either. If SAG can get it together without Rosenberg in two years we will support them,if they try to pull the same crap next time they are on their own.
Here’s a piece how Duncan Crabtree-Ireland warned the MF gang about disparagement at this Board meeting…
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005521.html?categoryid=18&cs=1&nid=2563
According to that Variety article, Wilson says the non-disparagement agreement prevents the SAG board from “performing its fiduciary duties” by keeping the board from examining SAGs relationship with AFTRA.
Has he even seen the agreement, or is he simply presuming the membership is stupid enough to believe whatever he says, no matter how fictional it is?