SAG LEADER WILL KEEP WORKING ON MERGER.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

Melissa Gilbert, buoyed after winning a second term as president of the Screen Actors Guild, plans to continue her effort to unite the two actors unions.

``I'm a little more at ease this time because I don't have quite the learning curve that I had the last time around,'' Gilbert said after her victory despite a strong challenge from Kent McCord.

Gilbert still believes consolidating SAG with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists would not only improve negotiating power with media conglomerates but also eliminate jurisdictional issues between the two unions.

But after suffering through a defeat of a merger referendum earlier this year, Gilbert knows a new proposal for consolidation and the effort to get it passed must be handled differently.

``A lot of people brought to my attention that the campaign for consolidation was heavy-handed and that turned a lot of people off so we'll reconsider that,'' Gilbert said. ``We've got to revamp the whole plan. We have to go in and re-examine the whole thing.''

McCord said Wednesday that he doesn't believe that Gilbert's victory is a mandate for a SAG-AFTRA merger.

``They are going to try and push for consolidation and my understanding is that they are going to make some changes,'' McCord said. ``It will depend on what those changes are.''

McCord, who led the opposition against the merger, said he will remain an active union member despite his defeat. He received 42 percent of the vote compared with Gilbert's 50 percent while commercial actor Gordon Drake garnered 8 percent.

``I'm disappointed that I didn't get elected but I respect the voters' choice here,'' he said.

The union's new secretary-treasurer, James Cromwell, released a statement vowing to complete a consolidation between SAG and AFTRA. He also wants to see an agreement reached between the union and the Association of Talent Agents. But Cromwell believes that the deep divides between union members must be overcome in order to move forward.

``I believe that one of the most destructive consequences of the factional infighting over these issues has been the disillusionment and frustration many members have expressed toward the union's seeming inability to govern equitably and effectively,'' Cromwell stated. ``We need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely with the membership.''

Cromwell, who ran as Gilbert's running mate, received 48 percent of the vote in defeating Esai Morales (42 percent) and Barbara Cheeseborough (7.5 percent).

In other results, Elliot Gould was the Hollywood division's top vote-getter for the national board. The other winners, in order of votes received were: Diane Ladd, Joanna Cassidy, Anne-Marie Johnson, Robert Hays, Eriq LaSalle, George Coe, Renee Taylor, John Saxon, Sumi Haru, Angel Tompkins and Rosemary Forsyth.

Eileen Henry was re-elected president of SAG's New York division with 69 percent of the vote over Erik-Anders Nilsson, who received 24 percent. New York division members elected to the national board were Cynthia Vance, Paul Christie, Sam Freed and Liz Zazzi.

A total of 97,234 ballots were mailed to eligible SAG members, but voter turnout was a dismal 33 percent, down 8 percent from the previous national election.

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com

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