In a major blow to SAG, veteran negotiator Sallie Weaver has decided to leave the union after 20 years of service, it was announced Thursday.
Weaver, who plans to stay through May 1 to ease the transition, has been leading the union in talks on basic cable and cable animation contracts, both of which are testing the resolve of the union's newly elected leadership, which has vowed to take a tougher stance in negotiations.
Both contracts expired Tuesday with no new deal in place.
"Sallie's departure is a great loss for the guild," interim national executive director Peter Frank said. "For two decades, she put her boundless energies and considerable talents toward protecting and enhancing the welfare of performers across America -- bettering their contracts as one of our chief negotiators, strengthening their pension and health programs as a trustee of those plans and fighting for their claims as the head of our contracts department."
Weaver, who plans to take some time off, had been considering a job change at the 20-year mark, sources said, though she also was weary of the union's infighting and the flak she took from some of the more militant members. Still, it was emphasized that Weaver left on her own accord and that she hopes to complete negotiations before her final day.
She is the fifth SAG staffer with at least 20 years of experience to leave the guild in the past three months. The others are senior contracts executives Susan Rose and Anne Talltree, organizer Hollis Batchelor and controller Carolyn Winnor.
Weaver's departure sparked further unease among staff members and concerns that other senior staffers also would be leaving, including deputy national executive directors Pamm Fair and Seth Oster and general counsel David White.
Weaver was national director of strategic planning when, in October 2001, then-national executive director Bob Pisano named her to the newly created post of deputy national executive director for contracts.
Weaver wielded significant behind-the-scenes power by both negotiating and enforcing contracts for the union's 120,000 members.
"She's a very smart lady who's been around for a long time and knows what can and can't be done (in negotiations)," said one person familiar with Weaver's career. "This is not good for (SAG)."
Weaver led negotiations last year on a new contract with the video game industry. In the face of stiff resistance from the companies, SAG was unable to establish residuals for video game voice-over talent but did get a 36% boost in wages as well as increases in benefits and work protection.
The inability to get residuals, largely because SAG represented just 10% of the industry, led members of the national executive committee to reject the contract over the wishes of the negotiating committee. Amid calls to strike, then-national executive director Greg Hessinger intervened to save the deal.
Although the contract eventually was approved by the membership, bitterness lingered, and Weaver was a principal target.
Weaver is having a difficult time in the current cable negotiations as well, according to sources, who say her authority has been undermined by members of her own team.
Certain members of the animation negotiating committee have been pressuring Weaver to demand far more than the industry is likely to give, according to people familiar with the situation. It's also said that these negotiators want authorization to call a strike but are getting resistance from rank-and-file members who work in this field and are reluctant to strike.
Talks on the two cable contracts are on hiatus but should resume in the next few weeks.
SAG's principal goal in these negotiations was to raise residual rates for live-action cable and animated series. The contract has not been renegotiated in 20 years, leaving members with a residual formula that has not kept pace with the cable industry's rapid growth, according to the union.
Traditionally, it is SAG's national executive director who serves as chief negotiator, but after repeated clashes with political opponents, Pisano resigned a year ago. He was succeeded by Hessinger, who was fired in October by the same opposition group, which by then had control of the national board and the power to hire and fire staffers.
Frank was named interim national executive director as the union searches for a new leader and chief negotiator.
In a statement Thursday, Frank thanked Weaver for her service.
"We wish she would spend the next 20 years with us, but accept with great reluctance that she feels she must now move in another direction," Frank said. "Her years of service to performers and to the cause of organized labor are marked by significant contributions and a true legacy. Screen Actors Guild will miss her very much."
Jesse Hiestand writes for The Hollywood Reporter.
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