Talks Begin to Avert Actors' Strike
Posted on April 15, 2008
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has started its talks with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers) in hopes of heading off an actors' strike. The contract expires June 30, 2008.
Among the issues the union -- led by chief negotiator Doug Allen and president Alan Rosenberg -- is bringing to the table are residuals on new media, more money for DVD/home video and changes to health and pension benefits.Nobody in Hollywood wants to see another strike. The writers' strike was absolutely brutal for just about everyone in the industry. It's time to settle this one quickly! The directors and the writers cut a deal, so hopefully the actors will as well.The talks come at a crucial time with the industry is still recovering from the 100-day WGA strike. The threat of protracted negotiations -- and the possibility of an actors' strike -- already has caused studios to scale back production schedules for film and TV.
The first day of bargaining began at 10 a.m. at the AMPTP headquarters in Sherman Oaks. It marked the first time SAG has sat down with the AMPTP and its chief, Nick Counter, without fellow performers union AFTRA. Three weeks ago, AFTRA voted to suspend its Phase One joint bargaining agreement with SAG. On Monday, AFTRA rejected SAG's last-ditch attempt to have a united front at the bargaining table.