UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2000 The Performers Alliance: Conflict and change within the Screen Actors Guild Arthur Thomas Lynch University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Lynch, Arthur Thomas, "The Performers Alliance: Conflict and change within the Screen Actors Guild" (2000). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1168. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/zcdu-rxke This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. 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THE PERFORMERS ALLIANCE; CONFLICT AND CHANGE WITHIN THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD by Arthur Thomas Lynch Bachelor of Arts University of Illinois, Chicago 1977 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree Hank Greenspun School of Communication Greens pun College of Urban Affairs Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas. August 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 1401764 Copyright 2001 by Lynch, Arthur Thomas All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 1401764 Copyright 2001 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17. United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval UNTV The Graduate College UNIV University of Nevada, Las Vegas June 28 ^2000 The Thesis prepared by Arthur Thomas Lynch Entitled The Performers Alliance; C onflict and Change Within The Screen Actors Guild is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts______________________________________________ Examination ^dmmrrin' Cliair Dean of the Graduate College Examimütn Committee Memo ion Zomhnftee OrfidunteCollcge Faculty Representative 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The Performers Alliance: Conflict and Change Within The Screen Actors Guild by Arthur Thomas Lynch Dr. Richard J. Jensen, Examination Committee Chair Director of Graduate Studies, Professor of Communications University of Nevada, Las Vegas This paper takes an historical critical research perspective on rapid change within one of the highest profile unions in the world, the Screen Actors Guild and in particular the emergence of a political force that identified itself as The Performers Alliance. The author was a member of the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild. Parallels were found in the development of SAG through various stages of its history. Rhetorical analysis sheds light on the development of the Guild as a social movement and of The Performers Alliance as a dissident movement within the union itself. An argument is made that the Performers Alliance may be a successful social movement within the larger format of the Screen Actors Guild. Questions arise as to whether unions will survive, how the nature of the working union member may evolve and shifts in the nature of the employer-employee relationship itself. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT________________________________________________________________ iü ACKNO WLEGEMENTS____________________________________________________ vi CHAPTER 1 THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD___________________________________ 1 History of the Screen Actors Guild ___________________________________________ 3 An Actors Life ___________________________________________________________ 24 A Truly Democratic Union _________________________________________________27 A Sister Union: AFTRA ___________________________________________________ 29 Chapter Summary_________________________________________________________33 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND METHODOLOGY_______________35 Review of Literature. ______________________________________________________ 36 Methodology _____________________________________________________________41 CHAPTER 3 THE PERFORMERS ALLIANCE________________________________ 45 The Birth and Formation of the PA: A Cause for Revolution ____________________.47 A Road Built on Contracts and Elections ____________________________________ .68 Chapter Summary________________________________________________________ 73 CHAPTER 4 STRATEGIES FOR VICTORY___________________________________75 A Perceived Need for Change ______________________________________________ 75 The Internet, Technology, Politics and the 1999 Elections ______________________ .87 The Election Mandate ____________________________________________________ .94 Chapter Summary_______________________________________________________ 108 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER STUDY_______________________ 109 The Study of Communications ____________________________________________ 110 1997-2000: The Successful Rise of The Performers Alliance. ___________________114 Application for Further Studies ____________________________________________127 EXHIBITS________________________________________________________________ 130 1999 Elections Debated in the Press. _______________________________________ 131 Hollywood Reporter Covers Pro-Act and the PA _____________________________ 134 PA/Pro-Act Web Sites, ................ 138 Masur and McCarthyism _________________________________________________ 139 1999 Election Results ........................................................................................................143 APPENDICES........................................................................................................................ 146 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Glossary. _____________________________________________________________ 147 Merger Results Reported. _______________________________________________ 155 Interview Acknowledgements ___________________________________________ 157 REFERENCES__________________________________________________________ 159 VITA 164 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEGEMENTS In 19941 was elected Vice President of the Nevada SAG Branch. This was followed by a term as branch president and over six years as a serving member of the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild. Many intelligent and resourceful people contributed formally or informally to this paper. I was and am impressed with the intellectual level or dedication of the serving members of the Screen Actors Guild Board of Directors, regardless of personal politics or agenda. This thesis could not have been completed without the cooperation of or access for interview of numerous individuals. A special thank you is in order for my wife Laura for her direction, time, patience, assistance, knowledge and love, without whom this thesis would not have been possible. The instructors and staff of the Hank Greenspun School of Communications were supportive in my pursuit of a Masters in Communications. Dr. Richard Jensen provided guidance both in the classroom and in the development of this thesis. Dr. David