SAG-Hollywood Elects Johnson 1st VP

Anne-Marie Johnson was elected as SAG's 1st vice president at a meeting of the Hollywood Board Monday night, replacing Kent McCord, who chose not to run again.

It is the second tour of duty for Johnson, who served as 1st VP from 2004-06.

"I'm honored to have this position and to follow in Kent McCord's footsteps," Johnson told Strike Watch, adding that there would be very little change in terms of policy.

"Our chairing styles are a little different, though," she said. "I'm a little more impatient, I run a tight meeting, and I make sure we adhere to time limitations on speaking. I'm not liked for that, but people do get home to spend time with their families."

Last night was the first board meeting since Unite for Strength captured five national board seats and 13 alternate seats in last month's election. However, Membership First still controls 36 of the 55 seats in Hollywood, giving Johnson more than enough to defeat UFS candidate Pamela Reed.

In addition to being a national board member, a post she has held for nearly a dozen years, Johnson is the leading spokesperson for Membership First, the dominant political party in the Hollywood Division, one that has taken a more hard-line approach toward producers in negotiations for a new television and film contract.

SAG and the AMPTP have been in a stalemate for more than three months, with neither side willing to budge from their positions. The guild objects to several provisions in the producers' last offer, but the most crucial are the ones regarding jurisdiction and compensation for work in new media.

The next major development in the standoff will come at the Oct. 18 national board meeting, where directors will vote on whether to send a strike-authorization referendum to members. Based on the conversations she has had with her board colleagues, Johnson said she is optimistic the measure will be sent to the rank and file. "I'm feeling support," she said. "I could be surprised, but I think it will pass."

--Andrew Salomon

P.S.: If you haven't already, please take part in our online poll: Would you accept the producers offer as is or would you reject it. It's currently running 74-26 in favor of acceptance, though that's only with 42 votes. Not exactly a large enough sample to determine true actorly sentiment.