Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/16674
ON LOCATION HOLLYWOOD DIVISION In My Opinion: Anne-Marie Johnson 1st National Vice President Dear Screen Actors Guild Member, S AG and AFTRA have concluded our joint Wages and Working Conditions meetings and caucuses. Te next phase of the process begins in August, which includes a meeting of the joint AFTRA/SAG W&W’s national committee, culminating in September with a SAG/AFTRA national board meeting to discuss, debate and vote on the final negotiating proposal package. As a member of SAG’s W&W and negotiating committees, this will be my seventh time sitting across the table from our employers. Negotiations are always tough, regardless of the issues or the personalities involved. Te goal of both parties is to protect their share of a profitable pie. Both parties believe their needs come first. Ultimately, if both parties negotiate in good faith, then concessions, compromises and consensus are made and contracts are signed. Te saying goes that a successful negotiation is when neither side walks away from the table happy. Well, we can only hope for the best. On June 19, during the Hollywood Membership Meeting, SAG members, including movie legend Gloria Stuart, received the prestigious Ralph Morgan Award for their dedication to bettering the lives of SAG members. While listening to the presentations for the recipients, I felt not only proud to be a SAG member, but also a bit melancholy. Ms. Stuart was one of the first 900 original members of Screen Actors Guild. She was also one of the first female board members. I can only imagine how challenging it must have been to be a visible member of a fledgling union, fighting to better the conditions of actors working within the pro-employer studio system. To place one’s life and livelihood on the line, during an era when the thought of unionizing was dangerous and assumed un-American, is to be recognized and appreciated. Members who are honored with this award worked unselfishly to strengthen the power of what was once the greatest talent union in this industry. Tere is a lot of talk about doing away with both unions and creating one union representing all performers, whether they are actors, broadcasters or journalists. I personally don’t want to see the end of either union. Both have such amazing histories and could continue to work as partners and not as competitors, strengthening contracts and organizing non-union work, and improving members’ lives in both unions. I believe that can happen. But it’ll take a lot of hard work and good faith from all involved. In the meantime, the same hard work and good faith will hopefully be present during our TV/ Teatrical negotiations. I look forward to working together with both SAG and AFTRA members on the team, doing the best we can to secure a decent result. Anne-Marie Johnson 26 SCREEN ACTOR - Summer 2010 SAG.org Guild Marks ADA Anniversary at City Hall M embers of Screen Actors Guild commemorated the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26 at an event at L.A. City Hall. Led by Councilmember Tom LaBonge, the ceremony opened with speakers including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti, Council members Tony Cardenas, Jan Perry and Bill Rosendahl, and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, along with key leaders in the disability rights movement. Following the ceremony, SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity hosted its inaugural “Dare to Be Diverse” screening with the film Sympathy for Delicious, starring Christopher Tornton, Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis, Orlando Bloom and Laura Linney. Te film was written by Christopher Tornton and directed by Mark Ruffalo. A Q&A followed with Ruffalo, Tornton and casting director Heidi Levitt, moderated by actor Ron Livingston. “Disability rights are human rights and organized labor plays a critical role in addressing workplace discrimination faced by people with disabilities,” SAG President Ken Howard said regarding the anniversary. “We are proud to continue to shine a spotlight on the contributions people with disabilities make to our lives and the challenges faced by those with disabilities in our industry.” (See page 11 for more on the ADA anniversary.) SAG National Director of Affirmative Action & Diversity Rebecca Yee; Christopher Thornton, writer, producer, and star of Sympathy for Delicious; Mark Ruffalo, the film’s director and star; and actor Ron Livingston at a special screening of the film, presented by SAG Affirmative Action & Diversity, City of L.A. Department on Disability, SAG Performers with Disabilities Committee and Writers Guild of America, West, Writers with Disabilities Committee. for the lab is in the cards this October 15 when the SAG Foundation Texas Hold’em Poker Classic brings friends, celebrities and professionals together for a no-limit tournament. All proceeds will benefit the voice-over facility. To become a sponsor of this event or to be a player, contact (323) 549-6708 or visit sagfoundation.org for information about the lab and the non-profit SAG Foundation. POKER CLASSIC PROVIDES VOCAL SUPPORT I n June, the SAG Foundation officially opened the Don LaFontaine Voice-Over Lab in Los Angeles. Major support