WGA Calls For Pro And Con Statements on MBA Ratification

This was sent out to members by the WGA today:

PRO AND CON MEMBER STATEMENTS
on Ratification of the Proposed 2008 MBA

Rules for Members of WGA East (WGAE) and WGA West (WGAW)

In keeping with our tradition of encouraging a free flow of ideas and opinions among the membership, the Current members in good standing have the opportunity to submit statements supporting or opposing ratification of the proposed 2008 MBA. The Guilds will mail statements submitted by at least ten members at no charge to all voting members of WGAE and WGAW. The Guilds will also post these and other member statements and their websites, in accordance with the rules below.

· Any 10 or more members in good standing who are eligible to vote on the 2008 MBA may submit a pro or con statement relating to ratification of the proposed contract. The requirement of ten or more members may be met by any combination of voting members of WGAW or WGAE.

· Statements must be delivered to WGAW or WGAE headquarters in “camera-ready” condition no later than 12:00 Noon (local time) on Thursday, February 14, 2008. This deadline is firm. Statements received after the deadline will NOT be included in the mailing. Please read the attached deadline policy.

· There is no fee for copying or mailing. Both Guilds will mail these statements to the combined WGAW WGAE membership for free. The statements will also be posted on the Guilds’ websites. Statements submitted by fewer than 10 Current members in good standing will only be posted on the websites.

· Camera-ready statements may be any length on letter-sized pages (8½” x 11”).

· The names of 10 or more Current members in good standing endorsing each statement must appear directly on the statements submitted to the Guild. These names will appear on the statement mailed to the membership and will be posted on the web sites.

· Members’ signatures in legible form must be submitted to the WGAW or WGAE by the February 14, 2008 deadline, either on the statements themselves, or on separate papers, letters or correspondence.

· Camera-ready statements and supporting signatures submitted through WGAW should be delivered to WGAW, attention Jennifer Burt, 7000 W. Third St., LA, CA 90048. They may be delivered (1) in person; (2) by mail; (3) by email to jburt@wga.org; and by fax to (323) 782-4801. (Note that statements will not be re-typed at the Guild, and will be considered camera-ready as received.)

· Camera-ready statements and supporting signatures submitted through WGAE should be delivered to WGAE, attention Geoff Betts, 555 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019. They may be delivered (1) in person; (2) by mail; (3) by email to GBetts@wgaeast.org and by fax to (212) 582-1909. (Note that statements will not be re-typed at the Guild, and will be considered camera-ready as received.)

· For the Guilds’ mailing and website posting, the order of statements within each category, pro and con, will be determined by lot.

Please note: The Guilds do not check whether the writers whose signatures are submitted as endorsing a pro or con statement have actually consented to the use of their names in connection with that statement.

All member statements are the responsibility of the individuals making them, rather than the Guilds, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of the WGAW and WGAE, or their respective elected officials or staffs.

For a summary of the tentative agreement, please visit: http://www.wga.org/contract_07/wga_tent_summary.pdf