Screen Actors Guild (SAG)

What SAG is supposed to do:

SAG is the Actors Union. They are the organization that is suppose to represent the actor, look after their interests, assure actors/actresses receive fair pay, and insist on safety for their members. It is extremely difficult to work in the movie and TV industry as an actor unless you are a member of the Screen Actors Guild. They are like any other union who supposedly puts the safety of its members above all other considerations. They are supposed to hold the "Industry " accountable for fair wages and safe working conditions. Each SAG member, including our son, pays dues to this organization and in return is suppose to receive their support and backing.

The Reality:

Despite the fact that Ken was a SAG member in good standing at the time of his death they did absolutely nothing when he was killed on the job. Here are a few examples of the lax attitude or complete failure of the Screen Actors Guild to insist that Universal Television follow the laws and rules:

1. According to SAG rules after working one day all contracts must be signed or penalties will be issued. Ken was killed on the fifth day of the filming yet we were never shown a signed contract between Universal and Ken. What we were shown were 3 pages of a contract with Ken's initials on them. To our knowledge no penalties were levied.
2. There is suppose to be a safety person and stunt coordinator on the set at all times to insure everything possible is done to provide a safe working environment for the actors and stunt people. No Safety or Stunt Coordinator was on the set when our son was killed when driving a modified and unstable dune buggy. No safety coordinator to insist seat belts and helmets were worn, no safety coordinator to check to see if Ken had ever driven a dune buggy, no safety coordinator to determine if the dune buggy was safe to operate.
3. Industry Rules very clearly state only a teamster drives vehicles between scenes. Actors are only to drive when filming is being done. At the time the accident occurred Ken had been ordered by the Assistant Director to move the vehicle to another location where filming was to take place. Ken should not have been driving the vehicle according to SAG rules but SAG said or did nothing when they found this out.

After Ken was killed we asked for SAG'S help. They would only send us some booklets concerning the Safety Laws of the Industry, but said they could or would do nothing. What we didn't know at the time was in the Screen Actors Guild handbook, Article III, Section 6 it states, "Membership in the Guild shall cease on the death of a member." Why is this statement allowed if the Screen Actors Guild is there for it's members? There is nothing about in "case of" or "if you are killed on the job." This statement means if you are "killed while working" as Ken was; Screen Actors Guild will do nothing for you. You cease to become anything to them.

Many violations of rules and safety standards took place that contributed to the death of a very talented and gifted young man working under direction of a movie studio but SAG was not interested. All the rules set up by the Screen Actor's Guild are apparently meaningless, when a professional actor is under contract with a large, powerful corporation, such as Universal/MCA Television. SAG absolutely, undeniably, looked the other way at "safety problems," and did absolutely nothing to assist him before or after his death. SAG turned its back on all violations and our son.

Something went very wrong on the set of Sliders and a very tragic death was the result of someone's directions and judgement and SAG had nothing to say or do about this terrible tragedy of one of their members. And that is what they did: absolutely nothing.

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