RAT Strike update

[jonoh1@juno.com]

Hi,
  While the tone of this posting is rather exclamitory for my tastes, it
still has some valid points.
Jonathan/Ezra


>Hi, my name is Lauri Johnson....my email address is lolojo@aol.com.  I
am a
>commercial actress (3 nationals on the air now) who has decided to
become
>VERY involved in the union's action to strike....I was at the Members On
the
>Move Meeting today and took copious notes....please forward to every
actor on
>your email list!!!!!  Have to get the word out fast and furiously!!!  I
have
>also volunteered to be a Strike Captain and will give you the latest on
THAT
>front when I return from the meeting of the captains on Monday, 4/24.
>
>It was a PACKED house...SRO with many recognizable commercial faces (no
>celebs yet...but I was assured that this is being worked on!)
>
>Here's the gist:
>
>Both boards EAST & WEST voted unanimously to strike May 1, at 12:01am.
>
>We are striking for the following main points:
>
>1.  Pay per play on cable, which the advertising industry flatly
refused.
>2.  Establishment of an adequate/viable monitoring system generated by
the ad
>industry.(we are the only industry that has no accounts receivable!)
>3.  Internet (JPC proposed 2 x scale for 2l months of unlimited run on
the
>internet.)
>4.  NO rollback on CLASS A Network....ad industry wants buyouts now, no
more
>residuals  (I DON'T THINK SO!!)
>
>During record economic prosperity in earnings for corporations, we (the
>commercial actor) equal less than 2% of airing costs for their
advertisements
>and less than 1% of total production costs...and the ad industry wants
us to
>take LESS????
>
>Strike strategy sessions are going on now.
>
>THERE IS A SAG GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING ON SUNDAY, APRIL 30TH
>2PM AT THE SHERATON UNIVERSAL HOTEL
>PLEASE CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE TO BE THERE!!!!  THIS IS ONE DAY BEFORE THE
STRIKE
>STARTS...YOU MUST KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!
>
>It is no longer up to leadership to make something happen here....it is
now
>up to US, the MASSES.
>
>If you are asking what you can do????  CALL SAG...go in and volunteer on
the
>phone banking to get all the info out!!!!!!  There is PLENTY to do!  Ask
for
>Judy Carpinter at X6019.....And if you can only do something in the
>evenings...let her know THAT!!!
>
>William Schallert, past president of SAG was at this meeting today and
made
>the following points quite eloquently:
>
>1.We are in a type of "war" now....its really "who blinks first".
>2. "....WE MUST BE IN SUPPORT OF EACH OTHER...FENCES NEED TO BE MENDED
WITHIN
>THE UNION.  THERE CAN BE NO DIVISIVENESS."
>3. Strong action needs to be taken against any "defectors"...there will
be
>those who seek "financial core" in order to cross the picket line and we
have
>to have a strong position on that.
>4.  The more disruption we cause, the better...and the police can be
very
>supportive.
>5.  Management really called this strike with their demand for
rollbacks.
>
>                                 ********************
>A PR consulting firm has been hired.
>
>IF you are hired to do a commercial that shoots/records AFTER MAY
1...you
>MUST ask your agents..."is there an interim agreement with this ad
agency"????
>   The interim agreement is being pounded out now and terms are pretty
much
>what WE proposed all along....IF the producers AGREE to the interim
>agreement, you may do the job...if NOT...you may NOT do the job.  Call
SAG
>for more info on this.
>
>The VP of the ATA (talent agency org.) was in on all the negotiations
and has
>agreed to support this strike.  Use your own judgment and call
anonymously if
>you have to to report anyone who is a member of SAG who works after MAY
1, or
>any non-union member (who surely want to be future members of SAG) who
works
>on a commercial as well....or if your agency is violating their SAG
franchise
>agreement and encouraging union members to work anyway or using bullying
>tactics.
>
>We will be doing work to track down productions, and also targeting
casting
>facilities who are actively recruiting members and non-union actors,
after
>the Strike begins.
>
>We have to start with education and not threats.
>
>SAG HOTLINE:  (323) 549-6650
>MOM HOTLINE:  (323) 549-6459
>
>And check in with sag.org  (SAG website)
>
>Ok, there you have it in a nutshell....about 20 interviews were done
>yesterday for the press...we should see more as this thing rolls
out....NEED
>YOUR INVOLVEMENT!!!!
>
>Feel free to email me back with questions, if I didn't cover
something....I
>have decided to become very involved in this.....if I don't my own
integrity
>will be compromised.  So be it.
>
>Be well, get involved!  Please!
>
>Lauri


in Solidarity,
Gordon Drake
Editor@actor.org
http://www.actor.org
http://www.pro-union.org

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