Simmens
In a move underscoring the bitter internal politics of SAG, director of government relations Lance Simmens has been ousted from his post after clashing with CEO Robert Pisano over siding with the SAG national board in supporting the hot-button issue of countervailing tariffs.
Simmens, who's worked in Washington, D.C., for two decades, was not available for comment about his termination after only a year at SAG. The guild characterized his departure as part of Pisano's ongoing reorganization plans, but Simmens' rift with Pisano had become an open secret in recent months.
"I am deeply saddened by his termination," said SAG legislative committee chair Ninon Aprea. "It was an honor to work with Lance. He had an enormous ability to understand the needs of actors and use his expertise from his work in Washington."
Simmens' departure was disclosed by SAG in a news release announcing that his duties had been taken over by American Federation of Television & Radio Artists exec Pamm Fair as part of her appointment to a new post overseeing policy, planning and external affairs. "I am also deeply grateful to Lance Simmens, our director of government relations, for his distinguished service to SAG," Pisano said in a news release.
Simmens began working on supporting countervailing tariffs last spring, when SAG's legislative committee endorsed the concept of seeking a federal investigation into the legality of Canadian subsidies to film-TV producers and whether countervailing tariffs are appropriate remedy. SAG's national board then voted 48-29 in July to endorse a petition, and that vote became a key issue during the fall campaign between presidential candidates Valerie Harper, who supported the investigation, and Melissa Gilbert, who opposed.
Backers say the effort is an effective way of forcing producers to return to the U.S., but opponents -- including the Motion Picture Assn., DGA, IATSE and AFTRA -- have argued that such a tariff is counterproductive because it reduces the chances for passage of wage-based tax credit legislation and could ignite a trade war.
Pisano, who was appointed CEO on Sept. 10, sided with Gilbert on the issue in late November by asking SAG's legislative committee to reverse its position, but the panel refused to do so by tabling the proposal (
Daily Variety, Nov. 30).
Simmens was also the lead SAG exec in promoting the guild's position last year of strongly opposing agents' demand to ease financial-interest restrictions in SAG's master franchise agreement. But that position was also at odds with Gilbert's, and Simmens has not been involved in the most recent round of negotiations between SAG and the Assn. of Talent Agents.
Simmens' departure is likely to worsen Pisano's relationships with Harper's allies, who have been unsuccessful in persuading the CEO to mete out any discipline to the three SAG execs who bungled election procedures enough to force the current rerun of the races for president, secretary and treasurer.
Fair is a well-liked 20-year AFTRA vet who has been associate exec director in the Los Angeles office for the past four years. She worked extensively with SAG as AFTRA's spokeswoman during the unions' 2000 commercials strike and last year's film-TV contract negotiations.
"I'm looking forward to continuing working with professional performers and dealing with issues that I've been exposed to over the past 20 years," she said.
Fair said she was pleased that she will be able to simply move one floor down to SAG headquarters, located in the same building as AFTRA's Los Angeles offices. "I'm delighted that all my friends will still be close by."
She also said that her hiring does not indicate any desire to revive a SAG/AFTRA merger, a proposal for which was defeated by SAG members in 1999. "I don't think hiring me is any kind of precursor," said Fair, who will begin in her new job March 1.
In addition to taking over Simmens' duties, Fair will oversee communications, special projects, research and internal governance departments. She will report to Mark Steinberg, tapped two months ago as general counsel and deputy national executive director for policy and planning.
"Pamm's extensive experience and years of service to professional performers uniquely fits this new position," said Pisano. "Additionally, her respect for and understanding of AFTRA will only enhance our relationship with our sister union."
SAG has about 98,000 members, while AFTRA's total is around 80,000. About 40,000 thesps belong to both.
Contact Dave McNary at
dave.mcnary@variety.com