Civil War at SAG? (DHD, VAR, THR, LAT)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Vialatte

Infighting at SAG ramped up over the weekend as the guild�s New York branch called for a halt to the strike authorization vote while a �solidarity campaign� was announced to support the referendum. SAG national president Alan Rosenberg said he was "shocked and troubled" by the actions of the New York board and said he would call an emergency board meeting.

Rosenberg, however, said the meeting was not designed to discuss the New York board�s demand to appoint a new negotiating task force, but to address "this extraordinarily destructive and subversive action."

In a statement, the New York board sought a cessation of the strike referendum; a new task force and that the AMPTP be encouraged "in the strongest of terms" to return to the bargaining table.

In October, the New York board members supported plans for a strike authorization if mediation failed. But they now say SAG leaders gave short shrift to mediation and that the worsening economy has made that course of action unwise.

(For his part, NY alternate board member Eric Bogosian says he was not consulted on the NY reps� statement. DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com has posted his comments which contend he is �very disappointed� not to have been included in the process.)

Rosenberg, in response to the latest comments out of NY said, �The New York board never asked me to call a board meeting, and they did not take the opportunity to do so during our National Executive Committee meeting three days ago. In fact, I have never been notified of their �demands,� as their statement was sent directly to the press, not the Screen Actors Guild.�

The meeting now called by Rosenberg will take place on Friday in Hollywood � where Rosenberg has insisted the New York guild reps attend in person. The New York reps, notes Variety, indicated that requiring cross-country travel on short notice, when videoconferencing equipment is readily available, can only be interpreted as punitive and designed to hold down attendance by opponents of the guild's Hollywood leadership.

Meanwhile, the AMPTP�s Nick Counter sent a missive to elected officials in such states as California, New York, Illinois and Michigan which are notable not only for their Democratic tilt and relative support for labor organizations, but also for their tax incentive programs, which Hollywood increasingly uses. A halt to production in these states because of a strike would take away jobs and hurt the state's bottom line.

The AMPTP also took out an ad in today's trades that attempts to refute Rosenberg on statements he's made about the final offer such as it representing the "beginning of the end of residuals."

SAG will hold further educational meetings for its membership on both coasts on Monday and Wednesday. Both Rosenberg and national executive director Doug Allen are set to attend the NY meeting tonight at the Westin Times Square.

Strike authorization ballots are scheduled to be mailed out Jan. 2.