Unite for Strength forwards 34 for SAG seats

ShalhoubCollinsHowardUnite for Strength, that has centered politics in the Screen Stars Guild within the last 3 years, has revealed its slate of 34 candidates for Hollywood seats, including first-time challengers Tony Shalhoub, Stephen Collins, Kate Flannery, Lisa Vidal and Iqbal Theba.The faction's slate, introduced Thursday, comprises more than 1 / 2 of the 57 candidates for Hollywood seats, and underlines the waning influence from the self-styled progressive wing -- which is not managing a slate and it has made the decision to abandon the Membership First label temporarily.The Unite for Strength slate includes incumbent national board people Adam Arkin, L. Scott Caldwell and Ned Vaughn, the general public voice of UFS and it is First Vice president.Ballots is going to be mailed to SAG people August. 23 and tabulated Sept. 22 in regards to a third from the seats about the 71-member board are up for election within the contest. Hollywood seats comprise about 60% from the board with another 25% from New You are able to.Notable opposition candidates in the progressive side -- that has advised a far more assertive stance in the negotiating table and voiced skepticism in regards to a merger with AFTRA -- includes incumbents Scott Bakula, David Jolliffe and William Mapother and former national board people Renee Aubrey, George Coe, Valerie Harper and Esai Morales.Current SAG leader Ken Howard heads the UFS slate and introduced in June he was running for re-election together with secretary-treasurer Amy Aquino they are also running for board seats. Howard will face a trio of indie candidates for leader in David Hillberg, Asmar Muhammad and Sharon Rubin while Aquino's running unopposed for secretary-treasurer.Unite for Strength has had over leadership of SAG by worrying moderation and pragmatism and pledging to push for any merger using the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, with official committees focusing on hammering out a merger plan by The month of january."2 yrs ago, I guaranteed people I'd fit everything in possible to create SAG and AFTRA together, so entertainers would no more face the intense issues that originate from being divided in 2 unions," Howard stated inside a statement Thursday. "People have managed to get obvious they require action as quickly as possible, and I am devoted to delivering a proper merger plan by The month of january. By having an outstanding team such as this leading SAG, Yes, it may happen.Inch Shalhoub stated he made the decision to operate due to a visit he earned to Madison, Wis., in March to aid public worker union people. "I was raised inside a union town, so that as an actress I have always known there is a union behind me," Shalhoub stated. "Things I learned from my visit to Wisconsin in March was that people must never take our union protections as a given and that we mustn't be divided. Madison's courage inspired me to step-up, become involved, and fight for oneness."The SAG election will probably be seen as an referendum about the merger plan with AFTRA. An associate election could occur through the spring through the 120,000 people of SAG and also the 70,000 people of AFTRA -- with 45,000 people owned by both and approval needing a 60% super-majority from individuals voting both in unions. SAG people rebuffed similar efforts in 1998 and 2003 among concerns that the merger would cause SAG to get rid of its character being an stars union which a combo could adversely impact the and pension plans.In last fall's election, Membership First was adamant that the merged union be for stars only without tv stations and performers -- after which did not win just one national board chair. Harper and Morales won a couple of 23 alternate seats while Unite for Strength required all of the relaxation.The Unite for Strength board candiates are: Michelle Allsopp, Aquino, Arkin, Bob Bergen, Caldwell, William Charlton, Parvesh Cheena, Assaf Cohen, Stephen Collins, Mimi Cozzens, Ellen Crawford, Bertila Damas, Patrick Fabian, Flannery, Arye Gross, Ken Howard, Jon Huertas, Christine Lakin, Donal Logue, Allen Lulu, John Carroll Lynch, D.W. Moffett, Michael O'Neill, Conrad Palmisano, Tara Radcliffe, Sarayu Rao, Woodsy Schultz, Shalhoub, Mandy Steckelberg, Theba, Stacey Travis, Ned Vaughn, Vidal and Vivicca Whitsett.Other Hollywood candidates include Scott Pierce, Aubry, Robert Elliott, Jane Daly, George T. Forest, Stephen Mendel, Peter Antico, DeWayne Williams, John Solari, John Tremaine, David Dorfman, Ron Ostrow, Tony Santoro, David Hillberg, John Carroll Lynch, James Paradise and Nicholas Stankevich.No new candidates emerged within the official New You are able to candidates list from individuals formerly introduced. Mike Robards introduced a week ago he was running for that presidency from the SAG New You are able to division, challenging incumbent Mike Hodge, and leading a brand new faction named One Strong Union inside a challenge towards the ruling U . s . Screen Stars Countrywide. Robards can also be seeking re-election towards the New You are able to board together with incumbent board people Justin Barrett, Andrew Dolan, Joe Narciso and Matt Servito. Another One Strong Union candidates include Corey Anker, Kelly Deadmon, Shaun Gruner, Phoebe Jonas and Gy Mirano.U . s . Screen Stars Countrywide -- that has centered the seats repping New You are able to on SAG's national board recently -- introduced two days ago a slate of 14 candidates for that board, including comedian Lewis Black and thesp Ezra Dark night ("Law and Order").The USAN slate includes Hodge and national board incumbents Mark Blum, Rebecca Damon and Traci Godfrey. Other USAN candidates are Manny Alfaro, Dork Bachman, Marc Baron, Jay Potter, John Rothman and Kevin Scullin each one is presently about the New You are able to division board and function as national board alternates. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com