SAG faction takes fresh shot at Allen

SAG faction takes fresh shot at Allen
div xmlns=http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtmlpThe board majority of the Screen Actors Guild today stepped up its efforts to oust the union's executive director, making its case directly to members.nbsp; nbsp; /p pIn an e-mail sayment to SAG members, the board's dominant coalition said it no longer had confidence in the leadership of Doug Allen, citing his quot;failed strategyquot; for securing a new contract for actors. SAG members have been without a contract for almost seven months. /p pThe sayment further accused Allen and SAG President Alan Rosenberg of thwarting the'll of the board majority last week, when it was blocked from voting on a resolution to fire Allen and replace the union's negotiating committee./p pquot;We firmly believe that SAG needs a change of course and a new captain,'' the board directors said. quot;Mr. Allen has held fast to a failed strategy for over half a year, even as members have lost almost $50 million from working under an expired contract.... With a new direction, we can turn this around and put the Screen Actors Guild back on the right track.quot;/p pThe sayment came in a response to a letter Allen wrote last week in which he proposed postponing a strike authorization vote. Instead, he proposed asking members to vote on whether they would accept the studios' final offer without a recommendation from the board./p pBut the recommendation was roundly dismissed by dissident directors as disingenuous, given that SAG had already spent more than $100,000 discrediting the studios' offer as unacceptable./p pAllen has strongly pushed for the strike vote, saying it would give him leverage in negotiations. But his aggressive pursuit of the referendum sparked a backlash among members who felt the tactic was ill-timed, given the hardships facing members amid a deep recession./p pIf Allen doesn't resign, his hand may be forced. Moderate directors are working on a plan to oust Allen through quot;written assent,quot; which allows board members to take action by casting their votes in writing. Such a vote could happen later this week./p pA SAG spokeswoman said neither Allen nor the guild would comment. In letter to members sent over the weekend, Allen acknowledged that the board is now quot;deeply and publicly splitquot; and vowed to press ahead with the strike authorization vote if the board does not accept his quot;compromise.quot;/p pThe suggestion didn't sit well with board member Todd Hissong, president of SAG's Chicago branch./p pquot;Yet again you've the audacity to make ultimatums to your employers,quot; Hissong wrote. quot;I hereby demand your immediate resignation as our National Executive Director.quot;/p p-- Richard Verrier/p/div
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