5 SAG Members Seek to Block New Election

Five members of the Screen Actors Guild petitioned the U.S. Department of Labor on Monday to stop the union from scrapping its November election results because of voting snafus.

The filing comes amid mounting criticism over the decision this month by a five-member SAG panel, which ruled that the election of SAG President Melissa Gilbert and two other nationally elected officers be scrapped because New York members had two additional days to vote and because ballots in New York lacked a signature line.

Supporters of Gilbert, who is part of the union’s moderate wing, argue that the new election is a coup attempt by supporters of defeated presidential candidate Valerie Harper.

They argue that the voting infractions are moderate, and that New York members have for years had an extra two days to cast ballots.

Harper and her supporters say a new election is needed to preserve SAG’s integrity.

The Labor Department filing was made by SAG members Mike Farrell, Paul Petersen, Lisa Lewis, Jane Beard and John J. Fleming. In their petition, they argue that the SAG panel lacked authority to overturn the election and accused it of bias because members were supporters of Harper.

A SAG spokesman said the union had not seen the petition and refused to comment on it.

In a meeting Monday, SAG directors commended the five-member committee and said they will appoint a six-member panel to oversee the new election.