SAG reps mean business
Guild's Hollywood branch faces strike action
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The reps, who affiliated with the Teamsters five months ago as Local 986, say they are so far apart in negotiations with SAG management that they have asked for a federal mediator to be added to the talks. Negotiators have met twice with a third meeting set for the end of the week.
"If they refuse to bring in a mediator, we'll ask for them to make a last best and final offer," chief negotiator Chris Griswold said during a noisy lunchtime picket outside SAG's Hollywood headquarters that drew several dozen reps and supporters. "If that offer is similar to what's on the table now, we will probably recommend a strike authorization."
The business reps -- who enforce contracts, visit sets, file claims and sign new producers -- say the offer from SAG management falls short on improvements in pay, hours and working conditions.
"We decided to affiliate with the Teamsters because our benefits and working conditions were being slowly eroded and we were concerned about SAG's long-term outlook," said rep Paul Bales, who cited last year's Towers Perrin report on the union. "The report's description of SAG as 'organizational chaos' is very troubling to the people on the front line."
Hollywood branch exec director Jerre Hookey noted that SAG has not yet received an official response from the Teamsters to the guild's first counteroffer. As for the demonstration, which got under way just as SAG's national board was set to meet, Hookey said, "That's just good, effective bargaining tactics by the Teamsters."
SAG business reps in Gotham affiliated with the Teamsters several years ago.
