SAG Rejects "Last, Best & Final" Contract Offer From Producers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 23, 2009 - 8:22am.

Los Angeles - The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has rejected the "last, best and final" contract offer presented by Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) after a new round of negotiations. The new talks came after SAG ousted its executive director and chief negotiator in ongoing contract talks with producers; three-quarters of the union's board voted against the new offer.

"We entered this round of negotiations sending an unmistakably clear message that we were ready to make a deal," SAG said in a statement.

The new offer from AMPTP included a clause that would have de-synchronized the term lengths of contracts with fellow unions like WGA, DGA and AFTRA, whose current contracts expire in 2011; the proposed SAG contract would not expire until early 2012.

"By attempting to extend our contract expiration one year beyond the other entertainment unions, the AMPTP intends to deleverage our bargaining position from this point forward," SAG added.

"We simply cannot offer SAG a better deal than the rest of the industry achieved under far better economic conditions than those now confronting our industry," the AMPTP said in its own statement.

SAG actors have been working without a contract since June 30, 2008.

It's unclear whether the union will opt to seek authorization from its members to go on strike, which would require 75% approval.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/ci0du (SAG statement)

http://snipurl.com/ci0of (Hollywood Reporter)

http://snipurl.com/ci0k1 (Deadline Hollywood Daily)