Stalemate Continues in Producers, Actors Negotiations

LOS ANGELES, July 11: The Alliance of Motion Picture and
Television Producers (AMPTP) says that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has
refused to accept its latest offer, “unreasonably” expecting to secure more out
of the new contract.

Stressing that that final offer delivers more than “$250 million
in additional compensation, important new-media rights and protection for
pension and health benefits,” the AMPTP states that SAG leadership’s refusal to
accept the contract “puts labor peace at risk.”

The AMPTP statement continues: “SAG’s Hollywood leaders have
already pursued a time-consuming, divisive, costly, and unsuccessful anti-AFTRA
campaign. Any further delay in reaching a reasonable and comprehensive
agreement does a disservice to the thousands of working people of our industry
who are already being seriously harmed by the ever-worsening de facto strike.”

The producers’ organization is calling on SAG’s leadership
to present the contract proposal to its members for ratification. “The last
thing we need is a long, hot summer of labor strife that puts even more
pressure on a badly struggling economy and deprives audiences of the
entertainment they clearly desire in such difficult times.”

SAG met with the AMPTP yesterday, delivering a counter offer
adopting some of the studio’s proposals, alongside demands for increased DVD
residuals and a requirement that all content produced for new media is covered
by the deal. Negotiations ended yesterday after a few hours and it is not clear
when they will resume. SAG’s negotiating committee is meeting today to discuss
AMPTP’s response. “We will provide further guidance following that meeting,”
SAG said.

—By Mansha Daswani