The clock is ticking for SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as they race against the June 30 deadline to reach a deal before the current contract expires. With negotiations ongoing, there’s been talk of extending the deadline, but SAG-AFTRA has opted to stick with the original date for now. The guild’s leadership is holding a strike authorization vote, approved by a whopping 97.91% of members, and they’re asking for improvements over the terms in the DGA deal. Today is a crucial day in negotiations as SAG-AFTRA is expected to respond to the most recent AMPTP proposal. Depending on the outcome, talks may continue over the weekend, and there’s even the possibility of extending negotiations past June 30.
The negotiations are complex, with SAG-AFTRA representing a vast array of career paths, from film and TV actors to voiceover actors to extras, all with different demands. The guild’s initial list of demands was lengthy, and negotiations have been challenging. However, there have been some encouraging signs, including talks picking up this week after a slow start last week.
The stakes are high, with the DGA membership’s vote closing today, and the results bound to play a significant role in the ongoing guild contract negotiations. The studios are drawing a line in the sand, sticking to pattern bargaining, but SAG-AFTRA is pushing for significantly better terms than the ones negotiated by the DGA. The studios may be too set in their ways, following a tried and true scenario from past negotiations, but industry insiders caution that they must take these talks seriously.
There’s been some willingness for the studios to make concessions, but it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to bridge the gap between the two sides. The SAG-AFTRA leadership feels an obligation to take a strong deal to their members that meets the demands of as many groups within the guild as possible after getting unwavering support with the landslide strike authorization vote.
SAG-AFTRA reportedly took a couple of days to mull over the studios’ latest proposal, which is a good sign. However, it’s still unclear whether that was a pivotal point in the negotiations or a pause in talks that ultimately won’t lead to a deal. The latter is considered a catastrophic scenario, with many wondering whether the film and TV industry could survive a second complete shutdown in three years.
