Nick and his AMPTP pals are running scared!
Read the AMPTP ad that will appear in Tomorrow’s trades. See and hear President Alan Rosenberg and NED Doug Allen explain the ramifications of signing this AMPTP “deal” with its multitude of rollbacks and residual giveaways. And much more!
You can always tell when Nick and his AMPTP pals are running scared by the number of ads they run in the trades. And they are currently at an all time high. 
It’s apparent that SAG’s threat of a strike authorization has got them quaking in their gold lined boots. And then to the recent reports of them failing to honor their residual agreement with the writers has awakened the town that they CAN’T BE TRUSTED.
Not only is the WGA p*ssed because of employers’ failure to honor their deal, but a quick perusal of posters comments on the Blog’s, shows that the tide has definitely turned–and guild members are beginning to get it.
You Can’t trust the AMPTP and they are out to destroy actors, writers and other entertainment workers ability to make a decent living.
First, the AMPTP ad glossing over their “Whipsawing Deal.”
Here is SAG’s response to that ad:
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LOS ANGELES (December 14, 2008) –“There they go again. The AMPTP’s ad is great fiction, with convoluted bullet points and confused messages — and, it’s completely wrong.
Here’s the truth:
— Under the AMPTP’s current offer, streaming of new television product on hulu.com and other new media platforms pays day performers about $46 for the first year’s use. Not per run of the episode, but for the whole year, and that’s only after a 17-day FREE rerun window. Peter Chernin, Chairman and CEO of News Corp., told industry analysts that his company’s ad-supported online programming site, the already $12 million profitable HULU.com, was a “replacement for reruns”.
— Under the AMPTP’s current offer, there is no union jurisdiction for original made for new media projects made for budgets under $15,000 per minute. That’s the vast majority of all new media. We have signed more than 800 productions to our SAG new media agreement. If we can do it, why can’t the AMPTP? We are certainly willing to show them how it’s done.
— Their proposal for original programming running on abc.com, nbc.com, cbs.com, and other network new media platforms is zero. Yes, seriously, zero.
— Management is gutting the contract through the demand that we remove force majeure which has been a protection for actors since the first SAG agreement in 1937.
— Management has also demanded broad and sweeping changes to the more than half-century old clip consent provision which guarantees actors the right to consent to the use of their image and to be compensated for that use.
— Minimum increases in traditional media doesn’t do actors any good if there aren’t any minimums in new media.
How can that be anything but “the end of residuals?”
How can that be anything but a situation in which it is “impossible for actors to make a living.”
How can that be anything but “A massive roll back.”
How can that be anything but “Life or death for SAG members”
Make no mistake about it, this is exactly what management is offering in original programming streamed on new media:
Minimum Rate Zero
Residual Structure Zero
Overtime Protections Zero
Forced Call Consideration Zero
Young Performer (Minors) Protections Zero
Management is offering a lousy deal with “Zero” in new media and is threatening the promotion of non-union work in a residual-free environment without minimum compensation.
That could be the beginning of the end for actors careers and livelihoods.”
(Source Niki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood)
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Click the following link to hear from our President, NED and SAG leaders about the AMPTP proposal that employers and some of their actor operatives are trying to shove down actors’ throats.
Here the latest SAG press release:
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Statement of Screen Actors Guild National President Alan Rosenberg
Los Angeles, December 12, 2008 – The Screen Actors Guild today released the following statement on behalf of SAG national president Alan Rosenberg:
“I am shocked and troubled that some members of our New York Board have issued a statement to the press regarding our October 2008 national board directive to send a strike authorization referendum to SAG members. Oddly, a portion of the group that now holds the majority of votes on our national board, and who voted as part of the 97% majority to send this referendum to members, has now reconsidered.
The global economy was failing before the new board voted in October to send this referendum. We are keenly aware of and sensitive to the fact that the economy has further declined since then. When economic times are tough, members rely on their union even more to protect them from management’s tactics. I believe we must be even more vigilant during these challenging times. The solution to the industry’s economic hardship must not be rollbacks that cripple our member’s ability to earn a living.
The national board must take these facts into consideration when deciding whether to exercise the authority we are seeking from the membership to call a strike. Only the newly constituted board that passed the strike authorization motion in October has the authority to call a strike once 75% of the members who vote approve the strike authorization.
The New York board never asked me to call a board meeting, and they did not take the opportunity to do so during our National Executive Committee meeting three days ago. In fact, I have never been notified of their “demands,” as their statement was sent directly to the press, not the Screen Actors Guild. This action encourages and emboldens the AMPTP and seriously harms SAG members throughout the country.
Apparently, some of the NY board members’ responsibilities and obligations to SAG members come behind their own political agenda.
I will in fact call an emergency national board meeting, but for the purpose of discussing the ramifications of this extraordinarily destructive and subversive action of the New York Board. The board will be notified of the date and time shortly.”
Contact:
Pamela Greenwalt
Communications Executive Director
Screen Actors Guild
(323) 549-6872
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The following was Accessed from the WGA website:
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Conglomerates Not Making New Media Payments to Writers
Studios and networks not complying with new media provisions of contract they agreed to nine months ago. WGAW files for arbitration against AMPTP companies.
LOS ANGELES — The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) today announced that the media conglomerates of the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers the AMPTP have failed to comply with the contract negotiated to end the Guild’s 100-day strike and are not paying residuals for writers’ work that is reused on new media. The payment of residuals for new media reuse was a core issue of the WGA strike. The Guild is embarking on an aggressive contract enforcement program including legal action to ensure that the AMPTP companies make good on their obligations.
The WGAW filed for arbitration today against the AMPTP over residuals payments made for the reuse of writers’ works for programs sold as electronic downloads, referred to as Electronic Sell-Through (EST). EST involves the sale of video content via the Internet and allows the purchaser to keep a copy of a program permanently on a computer hard drive or other device.
“Our agreement with the companies on material released to EST covers feature films produced after July 1, 1971, and television programs produced after 1977,” said John F. Bowman, WGAW Board member and chair of the 2007 WGA Negotiating Committee. “The companies have reneged on this agreement and are taking the position that only programs produced after February 13, 2008 are covered by the new provision. This may be their deal with the DGA, but that was never our agreement. Every proposal we made during negotiations made clear our position that library product was covered, and the AMPTP never objected to that position. The Guild will not allow this to stand.”
The Guild is also preparing to file for arbitration against the AMPTP companies for failing to pay residuals due for the streaming of television shows on the Internet. “Our tracking has shown that episodes are staying on websites longer than the 17-day initial window called for in the contract. This triggers the payment of a residual, but so far we’ve seen nothing,” said David Young, executive director of the WGAW. “Given the reports by the conglomerates of the growth of the number of shows being streamed and increases in new media revenues, this is an unacceptable situation.”
“In light of the fact that writers are not being paid for new media reuse, it’s unconscionable that the AMPTP proclaims on its website, ‘By working under an expired contract, SAG members are not receiving the new media residuals that other Guild members are already collecting,'” said WGAW President Patric M. Verrone. “The companies know what is being streamed, and they regularly announce how successful they are in generating online advertising revenue, so there’s no reason for them not to honor the agreement they made with us.”
In addition to taking legal action, the WGAW is undertaking a campaign of extensive member outreach and education on contract enforcement issues so that writers can help monitor the progress of enforcing the 2008 Minimum Basic Agreement.
The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) is a labor union representing writers of motion pictures, television, radio and Internet programming, including news and documentaries. Founded in 1933, the Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members. It is involved in a wide range of programs that advance the interests of writers, and is active in public policy and legislative matters on the local, national and international levels. For more information on the WGAW, please visit: www.wga.org.
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A.L. Miller SW Editor & Chief 
*All Formatting is the SW’s.