Election Statement from Mark Carlton - Independent Candidate

If you have not voted yet. Please go and get your SAG ballot and do so today. This election is extremely important and may well determine the future of our Union, and your ability to earn a living wage as an actor.

For years, the growth of membership in our guild has far outpaced the growth of job opportunities. Our salaries have been compressed and it seems with each negotiation some capitulation weakens our contracts.

I served on three contract negotiating committees and watched as SAG-AFTRA joint negotiators repeatedly negotiated with themselves to lower our requests. That was without one single response from management. We said NO to ourselves!

I watched as AFTRA with 50% of the vote, drug SAG into contracts the majority of the SAG negotiators voted against. I served on the recent Wages and Working Conditions Committee to determine what we should seek in this current contract.

AFTRA stabbed us in the back and walked away knowing our negotiating plans! They accepted a terrible contract. How do I know? For six years I was the National Chair of the New Technology Committee at SAG. I attended all the New Media Trade shows, talked with executives of the studios and hardware companies, discussed their business models. I was instrumental in convincing SAG to attend the annual
International Consumer Electronics Show.

We were trying to get ahead of the *technology curve* for once and anticipate where the industry was going. New media truly is now and we must stand firm on establishing our fair share of the future.

There is a group of naiive elitists in Hollywood that have raised the old cry that there is strength in merger. We negotiated our contracts jointly for years. There was no increased strength, only slogans. For their own selfish end, they want you to *take the deal* at hand. Don*t make waves! Don*t rock the boat!
They are short sighted, but have current shows, house payments, car payments, some are even producers and they are scared to death they might miss a payment.

They don*t need to *Unite for Strength,* they need to learn to deal with the issues and not sell out our future for a short term fix!

If SAG and AFTRA would re-define their territories, There would be peace and no need for merger. Using new delivery platforms for our work, does not justify AFTRAS claim of open territory. Acting is still acting no matter the electronic means of delivery!

If you re-elect me, I will continue my fight to bring sanity to the Boardroom and prosperity to the membership.

Previous achievements:

* Brought videoconferencing to SAG saving hundreds of
? thousands of dollars in Guild transportation costs.

* Established an inter-guild *new media* think tank with SAG, AFTRA, DGA, and WGA
? Presidents and Senior staff in attendance for three meetings.

* Six years Prior Board service. Supporter of MembershipFirst.

* 36 years SAG member fully vested. Worked most contracts.

* Service on numerous Committees, Guild Government Review, New Technologies,
? Communications, New Member Orientation, Building Management, TV Theatrical
? Negotiating Committee, ?
?
I am an independent candidate and an independent thinker!
Please vote for MARK CARLTON, number 58 on the Hollywood Ballot.

Go to www.sagwatchdog.com and www.Deadlinehollywooddaily.com
If you are not in the Hollywood division, perhaps you know someone who is?

Thank You for taking the time to read this important memo from
Actors Rights Coalition.
We hope you find it informative and will forward it to
other concerned actors.

MARK CARLTON –Hollywood Division election campaign statement.