Screen Extras Defeat New Contract Proposal

Members of the Screen Extras Guild have overwhelmingly voted down a concessionary contract offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the union announced Monday.

Neva Brown, assistant national secretary of the guild, said 90% of those casting ballots rejected the offer. She said 2,765 members voted no and 315 voted yes. The union has 6,700 members.

Carol Akiyama, senior vice president of the Producers Alliance, called the outcome of the vote “unfortunate and disappointing.”

She said the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has asked the two sides to meet, adding that the alliance will have no further comment until after that meeting, which is expected later this week.

In the meantime, the alliance has the option of giving the union 10 days’ notice and then implementing its proposal. Extras--the people who fill out crowd scenes in movies and television shows--are paid $91 a day. That would be reduced to $68 for eight hours and $54 for six hours under the Alliance’s proposal.

Less Overtime Pay

Double-time pay on weekends would be eliminated and extras would have to work more hours to qualify for overtime under the alliance proposal. Another concession would reduce the minimum number of guild members who must be hired as extras on film and television productions before non-union extras can be hired.

Monday’s announcement by the guild was not surprising; the contract offer had precipitated widespread protest in the union.

In October, the guild’s negotiating team tentatively accepted the proposed three-year contract, saying that if members did not accept it, the guild would be forced into a strike it could not win. Several protest demonstrations were held.

Then, at a guild meeting on Nov. 16, a motion urging members to vote no on the contract was passed virtually unanimously. Shortly thereafter, the guild’s executive board reversed the negotiators’ position and sent a letter to members recommending a no vote.

In an attempt to increase its bargaining power, the extras have been holding talks with the Teamsters about a possible merger. Teamsters president Jackie Presser is expected to announce the decision next month.