AMPTP Asks SGA — “Can We Talk?”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has finally negotiated a successful contract with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and completed a similar deal earlier in the month with the Directors Guild of America(DGA). It is now time to sit down with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the attorneys for the producer’s association are ready and willing to sit down at the table and talk turkey with the actors….question is, will SAG be ready to talk to them?

SAG’s contract with the AMPTP will expire on June 30 and the actors have been just as adamant about what they want in the way of new compensation as the writers were during their 3-plus month long strike. Many actors joined writers on the picket lines, refused to appear on talk shows and voiced support in ads and on the news front. However, the front for unity within the ranks isn’t quite as strong within SAG as it was the WGA. Some big name talent has been calling for calm of late, including Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, George Clooney and Meryl Streep. They have been urging their fellow members of SAG to push for contract talks sooner rather than later and want to see their union avoid the same kind of strike that was imposed by the WGA.

The leadership of the WGA has stated in an open letter to all SAG members that it will fully support them in whatever road they decide to take in their upcoming talks with the AMPTP.