#55219 by Shaun Tsumi on 2/24 at 8:03 pm
(Unregistered commenter)

Screen Actors Guild settles Discrimination Lawsuits by Employees
Group has settled five of the cases
By DAVE MCNARYA former Screen Actors Guild exec has sued the Guild, accusing the union of wrongful termination for his opposition to alleged racial discrimination within SAG.
The action, filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court by Hector Chavez, lists five causes of action and seeks unspecified exemplary and punitive damages. Chavez was dismissed from his post as associate director of human resources in January after six months in the job.

Chavez’ suit was the eighth such action filed against SAG in recent years. SAG has reached settlements in five of the suits but remains in litigation with former affirmative action director Patricia Heisser Metoyer.

SAG spokeswoman Ilyanne Kichaven said, “Mr. Chavez was a short-term employee of SAG and we regret that things did not work out. As we are in litigation, we cannot comment any further on this matter other than to say SAG is confident that the pending litigation will be resolved in our favor.”

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117884565.html

Like this article? Variety.com has over 150,000 articles, 40,000 reviews and 10,000 pages of charts. Subscribe today!
http://www.variety.com/emailfriend
or call (866) MY-VARIETY.
Can’t commit? Sign up for a free trial!
http://www.variety.com/emailfriend

© 2007 Reed Business Information
Use of this Website is subject to Terms of Use. Privacy Policy

Report this comment

#3615 by R. A. Earl on 2/13 at 2:14 pm
(Unregistered commenter)

I understand where Asner, et al, are coming from… and from a purely pragmatic point of view, they’re correct. When you’re unproven and unknown and just starting out, if you want a paycheck you stay in the closet, at least publicly.

The major problem using this approach exclusively is that nothing will ever change… the prejudice and bigotry and unfairness will simply continue and harden.

I think a far better “solution” is for those who reach “safety”... pile up the money and accolades for their work (eg Sir Ian McKellan, Truman Capote, Ellen Degeneres, Rosie O’Donnell) to present themselves front and center whenever the issue of discrimination arises. It’s really difficult for the average homophobe to maintain the myths against gays and lesbians when faced, “In Cold Blood,” with the real things that simply don’t fit with the prejudices. But it sure isn’t impossible… there are many that cannot deal with difference and who will maintain their ignorant prejudices no matter what evidence to the contrary is presented. (The behavior of many religious fundamentalists have proven this to be one the human race’s major faults and limitations.)

Staying the closet will only exacerbate the situation. The key is to educate the ignorant and you can’t do that using silence and invisibility. And as I stated, even then you’ll never “educate” those who will not learn.

Report this comment