Los Angeles, Oct 17 (IANS): The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has voted to begin the process of expelling producer Harvey Weinstein from its ranks.
His expulsion is not immediately effective since the Guild, following its bylaws, must go through a termination process, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
PGA Presidents Gary Lucchesi and Lori McCreary said in a statement on Monday: "This morning, the PGA's national board of directors and officers decided by unanimous vote to institute termination proceedings concerning Harvey Weinstein's membership.
"As required by the PGA's constitution, Weinstein will be given the opportunity to respond before the guild makes its final determination on November 6, 2017," read the joint statement.
Calling "sexual harassment of any type... completely unacceptable", the PGA announced that its national board, composed of 20 women and 18 men, has created an anti-sexual harassment task force "specifically charged with researching and proposing substantive and effective solutions to sexual harassment in the entertainment industry".
The PGA's constitution contains a section on discipline that states "the guild shall, at all times, have the right to discipline its members", and goes on to say "any member of the guild who shall, in the opinion of the national board of directors, be guilty of any act, omission, or conduct which is prejudicial to the welfare of the guild … may at the discretion of the national board of directors, be censured, fined, suspended, expelled from membership or his membership otherwise terminated".
It also describes the process the guild must go through before it can expel a member.
"Any member facing expulsion must be given a copy of the charges 15 days before the termination and has the right to appear before the board in person at least five days before the termination takes place."
Weinstein, who has been accused of multiple allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and even rape cases have been lodged against him, was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on October 14 and has also been suspended by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
