The Hessinger “Strike” Letter: “The Smoking Gun” that demonstrates why Phase One needs to be Phased Out, and SAG’s complete control over its contracts needs to be Phased In.
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SAG leaders, in the know, say that if you want to see an overwrought demonstration of wailings, hand wringing and gnashing of teeth of biblical proportions simply suggest to the AFTRA leadership that when it comes to Phase One collective bargaining with our employers, their participation should be directly proportional to their stake in the contracts.
For instance, although their stake in both the Commercial and TV Theatrical Contracts does not exceed ten percent in either, they have a fifty percent say in the kind of contracts that we get.
Most SAG members see this as not only blatantly unfair and fiscally unwise but a circumvention of their rights to determine their destiny.
AFTRA leadership, however, continues to demand a fifty percent participation in negotiating although they only have a ten percent stake!
We are equal partners they protest, fifty/fifty.ah, that is except when it comes time to pay the piper. When that happens, all of a sudden they point to that TEN PERCENT STAKE THINGY!
Item: This letter from AFTRA National Executive Director, Gregg Hessinger to SAG Associate National Executive Director John McGuire following the 2000 strike.
Mr. John T. McGuire
Associate National Executive Director
Screen Actors Guild
1515 Broadway, 44 Floor
New York, NY 10036
Re: 2000/2001 Commercials Contract Strike Costs
Dear John:
This letter is in response to your April 12, 2001 letter and further follows up on several conversations that you and I have had on the subject of costs incurred during the Commercials Contract strike.
In your letter, you indicated that the total strike costs compiled by the Guild amounted to $2,435,939. which you later updated to a final figure of $2,483,118. As you know, following AFTRA’s receipt of your letter, we engaged in a dialogue to seek mutual agreement on an appropriate division of these costs between the unions.
After considering numerous relevant factors, we ultimately agreed that a pro-rata division of these costs on the basis of the unions respective shares of the total television and radio commercials earnings would be a fair and equitable resolution. Applying that formula to the strike cost figures, AFTRA’s share (10.8%) amounts to $268.177.
Following our discussions, you presented this suggested approach to the SAG Finance Committee, which I understand fully endorsed it. Based upon this endorsement, I recently recommended the same approach to the AFTRA National Board. I am happy to report that the AFTRA Board approved the recommendation, conditioned upon final approval by the SAG National Board. AFTRA is prepared to remit payment immediately upon notice of such approval.
In closing, I would like to emphasize that the AFTRA Board also expressed the sincere hope that we could close this final chapter of our recent joint negotiations on a positive note of mutual cooperation, which after all, was the essence of our unions relationship throughout the Commercials and TV/Theatrical negotiations. The legacy is something to be built upon, not torn apart. I hope that the SAG Board will similarly and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Greg Hessinger
National Executive Director
Phase One has been in affect since 1981: it’s time to get out from under the thumb of this perversion of parity, and move on to Phase Two of the SAG/AFTRA relationship. A Phase where AFTRA’s poaching of SAG contracts ends! And their input, if any, in our collective bargaining agreements is based on, to paraphrase AFTRA’s Greg Hessinger, a fair and equitable, pro-rata, appropriate division of union participation.
Anything else will be a continuation of what can best be described a “Quid Pro Schmoo” relationship. And it don’t take a mental giant to ascertain which party of this deal, as it now stands, is the latter.
As actors, both SAG/AFTRA, slowly begin to realize what’s happening, and how it impacts them, they are thoroughly becoming pissed at AFTRA’s leadership– but it will only be a matter of time before that anger is diverted to those who allow this inequitable alliance to endure.
A.L. Miller SW Editor & Chief 
*All formatting is SW’s!
Below a photocopy of the actual document under discussion.
