October 20, 2008 by Editor.

Lauren Horwitch is out with a blog that the AMPTP is actually considering the mediator idea.We hope she’s right. We’ll probably hear more from them within a day or so.She’s wrong about one thing the Commericals Contract deal and the confidentiality agreement is a “rumor that’s been swirling around blogs like SAGWatch.net today.” Our first word on this was more than two weeks ago. Definitive word was exactly two weeks ago.  The Hollywood Reporter also has a story on this, noting that the mediator in question is the same one who failed to bridge the gap between the AMPTP and the WGA before the WGA strike.

Posted in Commercials Contract, Exhibit A - TV Theatrical | Print | 3 Comments »

October 20, 2008 by Editor.

We’ve learned that the SAG National Board has ratified the AFL-CIO brokered deal under which SAG and AFTRA will return to the rules of Phase 1 to jointly negotiate the Commercials Contract.

A key part of the agreement is that the two unions and their employees, officers and directors will not engage in “disparagement” of their counterparts - and the restriction isn’t limited to issues of the commercials contract. Any “disparagement” - which apparently includes criticism of people, contracts and processes - can result in substantial fines. It’s not yet clear whether this means the Allens have to go to the SAG website and pull off some of the hostile communications from the past year or so, though some of them are plainly “disparagement” under this deal.If the agreement holds it will obviously be a big plus for those who work in commercials. The big question is whether it can be the start of something much larger.

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UPDATE: Here’s the official SAG release on this. Interesting that it doesn’t say what the vote was…

The Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors meeting in Los Angeles Saturday, October 18, approved a proposed agreement outlining conditions to permit joint bargaining with AFTRA for the Commercials Contracts under the terms of the Phase 1 agreement.

The AFL-CIO and its Department of Professional Employees helped facilitate the proposed agreement. The exact terms of the proposed agreement, which is still subject to modification until deemed final, are confidential. Committees delegated by each individual union will meet to review and approve the final agreement language.

The Board also received an informational briefing on the Guild’s outreach program to inform members regarding the Booz Allen Hamilton Commercials Study findings jointly commissioned by SAG, AFTRA and the advertising industry’s bargaining representative, the Joint Policy Committee (JPC). SAG and AFTRA representatives are delivering the presentations in joint member meetings in various cities in preparation for upcoming Commercials Contracts Wages and Working Conditions meetings.

After a 5-month extension agreed to by SAG, AFTRA and the JPC on August 27, the Commercial Contracts will expire March 31, 2009.

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UPDATE2: Variety has a full report, quoting AFTRA Treasurer Matt Kimbrough’s comments here on SAGWatch. 

Posted in Commercials Contract, SAG-AFTRA | Print | 13 Comments »

October 20, 2008 by admin.

Yesterday, after the Los Angeles Times posted a brief item on its website about the SAG Board meeting (linked from its front page), and it didn’t seem to say much, we wrote something relatively snarky.

 The Los Angeles Times must not want to pay the overtime for someone who understands this stuff to work the weekend.

A couple of people we respect have suggested that we weren’t really fair to Richard Verrier, whose SAG coverage we’ve previously praised. Well, the article that we linked to no longer is present, and we’ve now seen a much longer (and on the money) story from Verrier that’s in the morning paper and on the paper’s website.

So…no diss, Richard. But the first story…which was up for a while - that didn’t look like your stuff, even if it had your name attached at the end. The second one, much more like it.

Posted in Media Business | Print | 1 Comment »