There's good news and bad news coming from the on-going talks between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The bad news is that there has been very little progress in talks between SAG and the studios concerning a new contract.
With their current contract expiring on June 30th, SAG members are looking for higher pay for "middle-tier" actors, those making less than $100,000 a year, and a greater cut of profits from DVD and new media sales -- a main sticking point during this past winter's Writers Guild strike. In addition to those woes, there are bitter splits taking place between SAG members and those of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) after the smaller union ratified an agreement with the studios.
The good news, at least for film and television viewers, is that SAG has no immediate plans to strike.In a statement to the press SAG president Alan Rosenberg said, "We have taken no steps to initiate a strike authorization vote by the members of Screen Actors Guild. Any talk about a strike or a management lockout at this point is simply a distraction." Rosenberg added that SAG is coming to the negotiations in good faith to settle on a fair contract for their actors. These statements have not eased the fears of the studios: they've been rushing to complete their current projects before a proposed strike. Here's hoping the union and the studios can resolve heir issues.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-29-2008 @ 9:54PM
C C said...
Not striking immediately is a wise strategy for SAG. SAG knows the studios could lock them out once the contract expires, but they won't do it-the major television series are already back in or just starting up production for fall and the networks are, right now, looking at possibly having most of their fall schedule ready if they keep working.
In addition, I suspect the actors don't want to interfere with three big media events on the horizon: the TCA Press Tour, Comic-Con, and the Emmys. The WGA strike shutting down the Golden Globes was one thing, the potential cancellation of the Emmys is another.
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6-29-2008 @ 10:56PM
Bradley said...
They probably don't want to look like hypocrites as well. During the writers strike non-writers seemed like they almost begging for people to get back to work by the end of it. SAG has seen what happens when one part of the industry goes down and I don't think they are prepared for a repeat. Additionally, they probably don't want to piss off SAG members that are in the higher end of the earnings spectrum. When you are talking about millions of dollars at stake for a negotiation that will have little impact on them, that's going to be a hard pill to swallow.
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6-30-2008 @ 3:06AM
lulu said...
Who cares if they strike or not. With all the problems facing us regular people do you think it's important that those people who make such a nice living for not doing anything important get more???? I think we have more urgent matters to worry about like gas, food and a roof. I don't think they have those things to worry about. If they do maybe they should get a different job. Oh but that wouldn't pay enough to keep them in all that designer bull s...and botox! Their lives are so meaningful, poor things how will they get by.
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6-30-2008 @ 10:45AM
anti-believer said...
WOW LuLu u are stupid!
Being an actor is a job. It is a regular job. It's no different from any other job where you have duties to fulfill almost everyday (reheresal, fittings), a boss, your pay is justified/regulated by a union, etc. Plus, there are background actors who only get paid 130 for a day when they worked. Understand you have to call in to let casting know you're available and of course you have to fit the heavily describtive character they are looking for. They don't grab anyone. If you're Afr-Amer there are even less jobs available.
So before you go rambling off about something you don't even know about work my "regular" job before opening your ignorant mouth.
Also the union is fighting for rights for background extra to get higher pay, better regulated meal breaks and more. So this isn't about the A-listers this is about the lower tier.
6-30-2008 @ 7:38AM
VDOVault said...
Site where fans are mobilizing to help the actors (without them our shows and films don't happen)
http://community.livejournal.com/whywewatchljcom/
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