After a protracted writers strike the last thing the motion picture and television entertainment industry needs is another strike to set back future production of film and TV projects. With that in mind the actors union, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced this morning that it is ready to sit down across the table with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and talk turkey about contract renewal.
All of this comes after weeks of internal bickering between the different actor’s union representatives within SAG and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA) over if and when to talk, and exactly what the major sticking points of the new contract should be. One thing is clear — all members of of both actor’s unions agree on the need to revamp the issues contained in all realms of new media and how the actors are to be compensated for that, much the same as what occured in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) 4 month-long fiasco that left a deep gorge between the producers and writers. SAG hopes to be able to jump that hurtle just as the Directors Guild of America (DGA) succsessfully accomplished so that it won’t take a prolonged strike to get what the actors want, however, it should be noted that SAG was the WGA’s strongest supporter during their strike effort and if it comes down to that, the actor’s union will call their own strike. AFTRA has yet to set up a timeframe for its talks with the AMPTP. AFTRA split with SAG earlier this year over differences on how to approach the producers and will negotiate a separate contract for its members.
SAG and AMPTP talks will begin in two weeks. AFTRA and AMPTP have yet to announce when their talks will begin.
The current SAG/AFTRA contract runs out on June 30 of this year.
This could turn out to be a long-hot-summer.
My stack of books is back on the rise, so i’m ready if the worst comes.