SAGWatch – Observing the Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA

It’s not that hard to call it:

Winners: Interim NED David White, unsung SAG hero John McGuire, the new majority coalition including Unite for Strength, the New York leadership and the RBD…and, of course, the working members of SAG.

Losers: Membership First, the Fizzlers, Anne-Marie Johnson and, in particular, Alan Rosenberg, who announced his candidacy for reelection as SAG President only hours before the voters delivered this unequivocal rejection of his leadership.

This doesn’t have the feel of an anomaly. An overwhelming majority of those voting, 78%, rejected the vitriol and uncertainty of the past five years.

The vote count in the Hollywood Division was 70.70 percent to 29.30 percent in favor. In the New York Division, the vote count was 85.74 percent to 14.26 percent in favor. And in the Regional Branch Division, the vote count was 89.06 percent to 10.94 percent in favor. So, clearly, the majority of those in Hollywood – like the rest of the union – have rejected Membership First’s “just say no” hard line approach.

With the election campaign just begining, the lines could not be more clearly drawn. Those who support SAG’s leadership have to be cheered by these results – but, as one commenter said in an entirely different context, one should never take the electorate for granted.

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For more analysis: Jonathan Handel, who calls this “a stunning defeat for the hardline Membership First faction.” Richard Verrier in the Los Angeles Times. The Hollywood Reporter. Andrew Salomon in BlogStage, with some nice – and different quotes.

AFTRA’s President Roberta Reardon:

“On behalf of the more than 70,000 members of AFTRA, I congratulate the members of Screen Actors Guild on their successful ratification of a new television and theatrical agreement. We’re pleased that SAG members will now enjoy improved wages and working conditions, and we applaud their efforts to negotiate a solid new agreement.”

But by far the best, snarkiest line of the night comes from a senior union official who noted that SAG’s voters approved deal with 78% voting in favor, and that it was basically the same as the AFTRA deal – which only passed with 62% support. The line: “Does that mean that all those weathermen in Peoria voted no?”