SAG Talks......6/17/08 Forward

Studio, Networks making contingency plans as
strike talk has majors hitting the brakes.

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what SAG says:
06-13: NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE ADOPTS UNITY STATEMENT


On June 13, 2008, the Screen Actors Guild National TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee, representing all three divisions of the Guild's membership, unanimously adopted the following statement:

We are united and committed to working together in achieving the best possible contract for the benefit of all actors. We pledge to stand together, united, not allowing ourselves to be distracted from our crucial and singular mission by anyone. No matter what the distraction or from where it may come, this committee will continue to stand firm to achieve the best contract possible. We are standing up for you and ask you to stand strong with us.

The Committee has unanimously committed to these priorities in bargaining:

* Significant increases in middle class actor compensation (including background and stunt performers)
* Significant increases in Pension and Health contributions
* Increase in DVD residuals
* Protections from product integration abuses
* Preservation of the force majeure protections
* New Media:
* Consent for clips
* Jurisdiction over all new media productions
* Residuals for all original made for new media productions
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AFTRA moving forward for ratification of their new contract even while SAG actively
puts pressure on aftra members to vote no.

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AMPTP as per EW article
SAG-AMPTP negotiations: How much longer will they go on?
Jun 12, 2008, 06:56 PM | by Lynette Rice

Categories: Strike

Hollywood conglomerates broke their silence on Thursday to release a statement expressing frustration and discouragement that they have yet to reach a new deal with the Screen Actors Guild after 28 days at the negotiation table. "SAG's Hollywood leadership is already saying that it's unlikely a deal will be made by June 30th," read the statement released by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, in reference to the current contract expiration date. "We hope that this statement does not signal the intention of SAG's Hollywood leaders to bring our industry to a halt."

The AMPTP blamed "side shows" like SAG's rally on Monday in Los Angeles for causing distractions to the negotiation process. At that event, more than 300 people gathered in front of SAG's headquarters to urge members of its fellow actors union, AFTRA, to reject a deal that its leaders recently made with the major studios. SAG's honchos worry that AFTRA's deal, if ratified by its 70,000-plus members, will hurt its own efforts to get something even better. SAG president Alan Rosenberg told EW.com that his union's members could conceivably work after the June 30 deadline and that the prolonged talks don't mean that SAG wants to strike. He said he was "optimistic" about the talks.

SAG released this statement late Thursday: "SAG's negotiating committee has made significant moves in the AMPTP's direction on a number of proposals. The limited progress the AMPTP referred to in its recent statement is largely because management has not made an equally dedicated effort to achieving progress. Negotiations are about give and take and thus far it has primarily been SAG's negotiating committee 'giving.'"

suzy has already brought us the news, but below you can find a shortened and condensed version of the situation. Would the strike change the fall schedule of networks? Probably. Let's hope it won't happen. And the chances? Dunno. I am not an expert though networks are still holding and hoping for a positive outcome. But.... Who knows.

Below you can read TV Guide's very own Matt Mittovich's article about possible scenarios in case of actor strike.

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Strike Watch: Would a SAG Stoppage Stall TV's Fall Season Plans?

With talks between the Screen Actors Guild and the studios at a stalemate and unlikely to gain ground by the June 30 expiration of SAG's current contract, networks are starting to brace for the worst. But the sky isn't falling just yet. AFTRA, the other actors union, is expected to ratify its own new deal on July 7. Once that happens, producers are expected to make a final offer to SAG. If rebuffed, the studios could proactively lock out SAG actors, saving themselves the "surprise" upset of a midseason strike.

In the meantime, the nets are puzzled over how to proceed with fall season promotions. Fox, for one, was planning to blow the doors out with barrages of Fringe buzz, but may hold back if the show's early-July production start is in jeopardy.

Should SAG get locked out, here's Variety's synopsis of how it would affect the biz:

• Network shows by and large resumed production not long after wrapping the WGA strike-shortened season, and thus will have at least a few episodes in the can.

• Cable series would cut their seasons short (if already underway) or push back season premieres dates.

• AFTRA-only shows such as 'Til Death, Rules of Engagement and Reaper would be unaffected.

• Late-night TV, as it did during the WGA walkout, would need to seek out more non-actor guests.

Fox's 24, remarkably, would not take another bullet, as production on the new season is already underway and new episodes not slated to unspool until mid-January. — Matt Mitovich
[u]

Just a question occured to me. What will happen to BONES shooting in England if strike comes since they are spending weeks over there? Will they stop filming? THAT would be my worst fear.

I doubt it. Bones should be wrapped up before a strike vote happens. They started filming more than 2 weeks before the contract is set to end anyway.

One week from today SAG will be working with no contract. Contract ends
6/30/08.

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Stay tuned... a prayer probably would not be out of order.

Thanks for posting the news. What exactly does it mean when they say the might "lock out" SAG members? Are actors that are member of said union not allowed to work anymore for their respective studios?

Well, I certainly keep all my fingers and toes crossed. Please, please not another strike and another shortened season. While I can understand their issues, a strike so shortly on the heels of the WGA strike would suck majorly. Most shows will never get back on track because reality tv will blow them away.

Contract 2008 - TV/Theatrical Negotiations Questions? Contact Us!

Read entire article at link below:
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06-23: A NO VOTE DOES NOT MEAN A STRIKE

Dear Member:

The Screen Actors Guild National Executive Committee voted to authorize Screen Actors Guild to undertake a campaign to encourage SAG members who are dual card holders to vote NO on the ballot for the AFTRA Prime Time Television tentative agreement.

I want you to know why, as SAG’s Chief Negotiator, I strongly endorse our campaign for a NO vote.

First, a NO vote does not mean a strike.

In fact, it makes a strike less likely because it will send the clear signal that working actors aren’t satisfied with the AFTRA deal and, to get a deal, management will have to do better. It gives us more leverage not less at the negotiating table and makes it less likely we would have to consider the ultimate leverage of a strike. Any sane union leader wants to avoid a strike if at all possible.

This is all about SAG’s negotiations, not the internal operations of AFTRA. We are not interfering in their internal affairs. Not when our negotiations cover the same actors, same networks and studios, ­same producers, same jobs and not when we represent over 90% of the shows in primetime and pay TV and 100% of movies. The only reason this issue exists is because AFTRA walked away from our joint bargaining relationship and then didn’t finish the job.
tions cover the
SAG members three-year earnings under the TV/Theatrical contracts exceeded $4 billion. AFTRA members three-year earnings under this contract were less than $40 million. But if the AFTRA deal is ratified, the AMPTP will regard that as a signal from SAG members who are dual card holders that we are done with negotiations and that the AFTRA deal is enough. That is why a NO vote is so important.

The AFTRA deal falls far short of “good enough”. It doesn’t achieve most of the priorities we established in our joint SAG/AFTRA Wages and Working Conditions meetings across the country with hundreds of working actors.

Read entire article at link below:

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