Screen Actors Guild Supports Brethren in Mexico

SCREEN ACTORS GUILD SUPPORTS BRETHREN IN MEXICO

Los Angeles (March 7, 2005) Screen Actors Guild (SAG) President Melissa Gilbert and National Executive Director/CEO Bob Pisano, on behalf of the entire SAG membership, sent the guild’s unqualified support to the Mexican performers union Asociación Nacional de Actores (ANDA) in their struggle with employers for fair contracts.

Last week, the Spanish-language voice actors of "Los Simpsons" (“The Simpsons”) joined ANDA members by striking after contract negotiations broke down between the Mexican union and Grabaciones y Doblajes, the Mexico City-based dubbing studio where the show is re-recorded. The actors picketed the offices of the company, blocking entry to the non-union actors who were hired as replacements.

In a letter to Juan Alonzo, Secretary General of ANDA, Gilbert and Pisano stated, “Our organizations share a long history in their efforts to protect performers’ rights. The current situation once again finds us firmly committed to providing complete support to our sister organization during these critical times.”

Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and ANDA have shared friendship, solidarity, joint action and mutual aid since 1999. SAG posted a notice on its website for members to stand in solidarity and not accept contracts of employment to render voice- over services for Grabaciones y Doblajes Internacionales on "- Los Simpsons" in Mexico. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) posted a similar notice on their site.