The 120,000 member Screen Actors Guild is re-negotiating its major collective bargaining agreement with Film and TV producers. At the moment the two sides are stalemated over pay scales for work transmitted digitally over the Internet, among other issues. Earlier this month, the union’s negotiating committee called for a strike authorization vote after a vociferous internal debate over the union’s negotiation strategy.

But that internal debate is now triggering deeper divisions inside the Guild. The Strike Vote has been suspended as internal factions jockey for position. A recent national board meeting lasted 30 hours straight as a new majority attempted and failed to unseat the Guild’s National Executive Director and restructure its negotiating team who are viewed as sympathetic to minority group in the union.

Professor Diamond was a leading candidate for the National Executive Director role at SAG in 2006 and is closely following the Hollywood battle. His talk will cover the internal battle inside SAG and assess the role of the Guild in the rapidly changing entertainment industry.

Thursday, January 29
12:45 PM — Lunch Provided
Berkeley YWCA, 3rd Lounge
2600 Bancroft Way (next to Le Cheval)

This event is being held in support of the AFSCME Local 3299 service workers and their labor dispute with UC Berkeley. All are welcome.

Sponsored by the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law
Questions? Email bjell@law.berkeley.edu or visit www.bjell.org