September 13, 2008 by Number Six.

It took a third or fourth read to catch this one, buried at the bottom of Membership First’s newly announced plan to attack AFTRA. 

“As we have done since last year, SAG will continue informing you about inferior AFTRA contracts that are being negotiated and we will publish the details in S.A.G. communications.”

In this sentence Membership First says it is SAG, and that it will use dues money and SAG resources to push its anti-AFTRA agenda. It also says that Membership First wants to do more of what the AFL-CIO calls disparaging another union, a violation of its rules that could lead to charges.AFTRA recently went on record as saying it would refrain from filing charges at the AFL-CIO. If Membership First retains control of the SAG board and implements this strategy, we’d imagine AFTRA would review that decision, perhaps leading to SAG pulling out of the AFL-CIO in order to avoid an almost certain finding that SAG has repeatedly violated the AFL-CIO’s anti-raiding rules.SAG Election results are to be announced next week.

Posted in SAG Politics, SAG-AFTRA | Print | 59 Comments »

September 13, 2008 by Number Six.

One of our favorite blogs, Vallywood, written by Steve Diamond, has closed down. Diamond’s a law professor and a former candidate for SAG NED, and he’s been known for his clarity of expression and analytical approach to SAG’s problems.Diamond says he made the decision because he doesn’t have time to keep up the blog. His wife is expecting a child, and the new law school year is underway. We’ll miss the blog, but note that this is the second or third time Diamond - a frequent target of written broadsides from Membership First - has shuttered Vallywood. We hope he’ll miss it so much that he returns soon.

Posted in SAG Politics | Print | 6 Comments »