Merger Button (No)

Two major components of Guild membership are: the responsibility to support it when you believe in its actions, but also the right to speak out and disagree with it, if so moved. Many members came out against the Guild’s official position favoring merger with AFTRA, and united to promote their case. Mailers were sent, listing merger opponents, including former Guild presidents Howard Keel, Charlton Heston, and Dennis Weaver. “Save SAG” buttons were distributed and worn. On November 19, 1998, the day before the merger ballots were mailed to the membership, the “Save SAG” group held an anti-merger rally outside Guild headquarters. On January 28, 1999, ballot counting was complete: merger had been rejected by over 52% of voting Guild members.