Rosenberg sends letter to SAG members
Guild topper stresses pay for working actors
In a letter sent Saturday to the 120,000 SAG members, Rosenberg noted that the feature-primetime pact that's up for negotiations represents over $1 billion in annual earnings. The current contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers expires June 30.
Although Rosenberg's said repeatedly that he doesn't want a strike, the town's continued to worry about SAG's assertive stance and its close alliance with the WGA during the writers strike. Those concerns have led to a ramp-up of feature production with the goal of finishing shooting by the end of June as a hedge against a work stoppage.
Rosenberg stressed in the letter that SAG's major goal is to improve pay for working actors, asserting that they've been squeezed out of showbiz in recent years.
"We are facing the demise of middle class actors," Rosenberg said. "We now have to work more just to make what we earned a few years ago. Favored nations salaries for guest stars and featured actors are now the norm and most actors can’t get the quotes (individual salary) that they could a year ago. It’s a 'take it or leave it' world and many will have to leave the business for other work if the downward trends continue."
The congloms have indicated that they're willing to make a deal with the same kind of improvements in new-media compensation that were included in the DGA and WGA pacts earlier this year -- but nothing more.
"We have to negotiate fair payments for all new media formats to help us expand opportunities for middle class actors to get more work, just as the employers are expanding their opportunities to earn even more revenue," Rosenberg said. "We simply can’t wait until this boat has sailed. We need to be on the boat—and it’s leaving now."
Rosenberg also listed SAG's priorities at the talks, including a "long overdue" increase to the DVD/Home Video formula. That's a non-starter, according to the companies.
The WGA sought an increase in the two-decades-old DVD/homevid formula but dropped the idea a few hours before it went on strike on Nov. 5. The writers were incensed that the AMPTP did not make enough of a move in response to the guild taking the proposal off the table.
The DGA did not propose an increase in DVD residuals.
SAG also said its proposals cover "major role" actors (featured, guest stars, weekly players); extras; increased employer contributions to pension and health; “forced endorsement” in which members wind up not being paid for commercials that are written to the script; "fair market value" language; and improvements and protections for young performers, stunt performers, performers with disabilities, dancers and others.
SAG said it will hold a town hall meeting in Los Angeles on April 29 and in New York on April 30 to update members. The guild's under pressure to make a deal by the time AFTRA -- which split off from SAG a few weeks ago -- begins its talks with the AMPTP on April 28 since a deal could enable AFTRA to go after new shows in areas of shared jurisdiction.
SAG's also been pressured by high-profile members to institute qualified voting, which would limit those eligible to vote on strike authorization and the contract to those who meet a specific work requirement.
SAG's national board is meeting this weekend about the proposal -- which has been backed by Amy Brennamen, Sally Field and Charlie Sheen -- but Rosenberg's already predicted the measure won't pass. He's also criticized those who have boosted the idea, saying that the initiative is divisive at a time when SAG needs to present a united front.
