Responding to talent agents' criticisms of its stance on general service agreements (GSAs), the Screen Actors Guild has announced it will stand its ground, yet wants to return to the bargaining table.
In a Feb. 20 letter blending compliments with determination, SAG's leadership recognized the Association of Talent Agents' (ATA) value to the guild, but worked to clarify its membership's unwaivering stance in opposing any new contract provisions which might negatively affect actors.
In particular, the guild's letter spoke to two issues regarding GSAs, and a third involving agents who are not members of the ATA or the National Association of Talent Representatives (NATR). NATR represents agents on the East Coast. The ATA reps West Coast agents, and is charged with negotiating a franchise agreement with SAG for both agents' groups.
Addressing their remarks to Karen Stuart, the ATA's executive director, William Daniels, SAG's national president, and John McGuire, the guild's associate national executive director, told Stuart that SAG had traditionally allowed GSAs that complied with Rule 16(g), the regulations which govern each guild member's relationship with an agent.
"Accordingly, we are puzzled by the ATA's assertion that SAG has somehow suggested 'general service contracts are forbidden.' SAG's recent memorandum to its membership serves as nothing more than a reiteration of SAG policy..."
The ATA had responded Feb. 9 to an earlier "message" SAG placed on its website warning members to not sign any agents? newly formed contracts, or GSAs. In the message, the guild said the new pacts could "indirectly" help agents become producers, which SAG considers a conflict of interest.
The ATA's Stuart had accused SAG's leaders of attempting to cripple the agency industry and economically harm the SAG actor. The ATA, through Stuart, strongly criticized the guild leadership for "unlawfully" opposing new and future contracts, union actions which place the SAG-agent relationship "in danger of being irreparably severed."
The guild and ATA/NATR's basic contract expired on Oct. 20. The guild's website message said the pact includes a 15-month grace period under which agents and actors can operate until January 2002. SAG added it would continue to work with association members who "comply" with the pact, and all agencies that aren't members of the two rep groups.
The ATA countered that the contract was no longer in effect: "Article VII of the basic contract has for decades made it clear that all terms apply to all agents, regardless of ATA/NATR membership," Stuart's letter insisted. "The agency regulations expired on Oct. 20, 2000 for every agent, not just ATA/NATR members."
SAG, in this week's letter, said it also "disputes that the ATA has the authority to speak for, and therefore terminate the rights and responsibilities of over 391 independent agents not represented by its organization, but nonetheless signed to Rule 16(g)." The guild repeated its stance that agents, in or out of ATA/NATR, who continued to abide by the franchise agreement could rep SAG members.
The guild also repeated its concern about GSAs with provisions which could damage SAG members' careers. "SAG is well within its rights to protect and nurture its members' long-term interests," the letter said. "The guild's primary concern is that its members are fully apprised of their rights before entering into any contracts containing such provisions."
Daniels and McGuire said the guild was "understandably confused" by the ATA's saying that " 'SAG has not only turned its back on its allies, but now appears to want to put them out of business.' SAG assures the ATA that it is diligently working to solve the current impasse over Rule 16(g), and vows to continue those efforts."
Earlier in the letter, the guild stressed that its relationship with the ATA "has been both prosperous and productive." It echoed back to Stuart what she had emphasized in her earlier response to the guild website "message": that for 60 years the two sides had worked together, that the agents had shown strong support for actors during last year?s six-month-long commercials strike, and will again in upcoming negotiations with studios and networks on a new feature film-TV contract.
Daniels and McGuire also emphasized that the agents' proposals for altering the franchise agreement were both "unique and substantive," but they added, "Our constituents view these kinds of changes with concern and, in the case of many members, unwavering opposition."
Stuart had been highly critical of SAG's leadership, blaming it, rather than the guild membership for the current impasse.
While Daniels and McGuire didn't directly refer to her attack, they were obviously attempting to disagree with her dictatorial-leadership criticism by saying, "We continue to sound out our membership to ensure that our position is one that accurately reflects its views. SAG does not take its responsibility in this regard lightly."
"To that end, SAG is working tirelessly to examine the substantive issues put forth by the ATA," through daily meetings, establishment of outreach committees on both coasts, and referring the "delicate issues" to appropriate SAG committees, while also working with senior staff and Daniels' office.
The letter closed by inviting the ATA "to join SAG in setting aside the rhetoric and public squabbling, and make a pledge to return to the one place where both our members' interests are best served: the bargaining table."
Stuart told Back Stage at press time she was preparing to review the letter and had immediate reply.