SAG BOARD FAVORS PISANO.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

As the Screen Actors Guild prepares for contract talks with producers, it appears National Executive Director Bob Pisano will still be the guild's chief negotiator after the CEO survived an attempt by critics to oust him from his job.

SAG's national board, meeting in Los Angeles for a two-day plenary session, voted down a motion demanding Pisano's resignation by a 58 percent to 42 percent margin on Saturday, following a two-hour debate. It marked the second time this year that the national board has voted in support of Pisano.

``I genuinely hope that the organization will find a way to deal with its internal demons and to turn once more to the critical issues that face it,'' Pisano said during a strongly worded speech in which he fought for his job and defended himself against his critics.

But few expect Pisano's survival to result in any kind of unity within the deeply divided union, which has been split on key issues in recent years, including a failed effort to consolidate with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the defeat of a referendum to raise dues, and the voting down of a proposed franchise agreement between SAG and talent agents.

``For a union to be split like this is never a good thing,'' observed labor attorney Arnold Peter of Bissell, Lord and Brook in Los Angeles. ``First of all, they aren't united in the negotiations, and secondly, that raises questions of whether they are able to get a ratification vote on anything they are able to come up with at the negotiating table.''

Pisano, the union's top executive for the last three years, has had the steadfast support of SAG President Melissa Gilbert and a majority of the union's national board during an ongoing tussle stemming from Pisano holding a seat on the board of directors of the DVD rental company Netflix. The union's anti-Pisano faction have charged that the CEO has a conflict of interest because part of the contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers includes trying to increase DVD residuals for actors.

A recent election sweep by the dissident MemberShip First faction of the guild considerably narrowed the gap between them and the Pro-Pisano majority. Pisano's future was thought to be in serious jeopardy due to some expected absences of his supporters from the weekend meetings which could have tipped the balance of those present to the MemberShip First minority.

The Hollywood board, dominated by MembershipFirst, has issued three no-confidence votes for Pisano in recent months. Pisano lashed out against his foes Saturday, calling the campaign to oust him ``an intolerable situation for this institution.''

``I have no intention of resigning my position,'' Pisano told the board. ``I do not have a conflict of interest and, therefore, have no intention of stepping down as chief negotiator in the coming AMPTP negotiations, and I will continue, as I have in the past, to meet every obligation and responsibility set out in my employment agreement.''

Pisano added that, during his tenure, the Guild had become better organized, more technologically sophisticated and more fiscally responsible.

MemberShip First representatives could not be reached for comment Monday. But a section of the group's Web site discussing the Pisano situation states: ``We believe that no man can serve two masters. We believe that SAG members deserve to have absolute confidence in its leadership, particularly when their income depends more and more on minimums established during negotiations.''

Pisano explained that, when he was recruited, he told members of the union's search committee of his financial interests and relationships with companies, including Netflix, and brought with him to the weekend meeting the disclosure statement he gave to then-SAG President William Daniels, who brought forth the motion for Pisano's resignation on Saturday.

The union has had both general and outside legal counsel review the Pisano-Netflix connection several times and no conflict was found.

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com