Following Failed Mediation, SAG to Seek Strike Authorization

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 24, 2008 - 8:03am.

Los Angeles - Following two days of federal mediation with movie and TV producers that failed to produce new contract terms, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) plans to launch an educational campaign for its 120,000 members that will urge them to support a referendum authorizing the guild to call a strike, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "We have already made difficult decisions and sacrifices in an attempt to reach agreement. Now it's time for SAG members to stand united and empower the national negotiating committee to bargain with the strength of a possible work stoppage behind them," the guild said in a statement.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said in its own statement that it will "continue to place the burden squarely on SAG to explain why it deserves better deals than the other entertainment Guilds received earlier this year -- particularly in light of the fact that the earlier deals were negotiated during better economic times, and SAG is attempting to reach a deal now during a period of tremendous economic upheaval."

SAG added that no timeline has been set for the mailing or return of strike authorization ballots.

Poll: Will SAG Actually Go Out on Strike?

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/6p4yw (Hollywood Reporter)

http://www.sag.org/press-releases/november-22-2008/sag-amptp-mediation-fails

http://www.amptp.org/files/AMPTP_message_to_companies_112308.pdf (PDF)

http://snipurl.com/6p5t3 (DMW previous coverage)

Published in DMW Daily, November 24, 2008

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Comments

Europeans plight portends SAG disaster

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on November 28, 2008 - 9:41pm.

You ought to look at the following short video produced in Cologne, Germany by TV Star Andreas Stenschke. It points to what is at stake for writers, actors and directors regarding the potential loss of income when reruns of TV shows and movies go to the Internet rather than on cable and broadcast TV, where they currently show. It is particularly relevant as the Writers Guild is now in a battle with the AMPTP over their reneging of the Internet residual formula agreed to at the end of the strike in February. Link to the video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PPZV3dTzbg The Europeans' (and other international artists) situation is absurd and the AMPTP producers and networks would like nothing more than to remake that as their modus operandi on our shores as well.

A world wide problem

Submitted by Black Fairings (not verified) on December 2, 2008 - 3:18am.

The lack of contracts and well paid jobs is also reflected on the movie and TV world. Evidently there should be a negotiation to talk about how much can be done so everybody get a piece of the cake without letting some out of the business.