Just Cross Your Digits.....

Producers’ Group Pessimistic on Labor Talks With Actors
NY Times, 5.1.08
By MICHAEL CIEPLY

"LOS ANGELES — A bargaining group for Hollywood’s largest movie and television companies on Wednesday told its members, in effect, not to expect a breakthrough in stalled talks with the Screen Actors Guild
before their scheduled end on Friday.

“Although both parties have spent considerable time in the negotiating room, we are not yet close to an agreement,” said the message, posted by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on its Web site.

The statement and an accompanying critique of positions taken by the guild set the stage for a new and more difficult phase in the showdown between actors and producers over a contract to replace the current deal, which expires June 30.

A walkout by the actors could easily wreak more economic havoc than the recent 100-day strike by Hollywood writers. Without actors, nearly all television and movie production (save reality shows) would instantly grind to a halt, whereas during the writers’ strike, TV shows and movies were able to work for weeks with scripts already in hand.

As the producers prepared to open talks on Monday with another actors’ union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, it appeared increasingly likely that any deal with the Screen Actors Guild would remain weeks away and might be forged only under the pressure of an expiring deadline..." Full article.
====================================================

4.20.08: A MESSAGE TO SCREEN ACTORS GUILD MEMBERS

Regarding TV/Theatrical Contract Negotiations

"Dear Screen Actors Guild Member,

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) posted a message to their member companies today on the AMPTP website. We felt it was important that we directly communicate our continued dedication to the negotiations process.

Screen Actors Guild remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with the AMPTP. To that end, we are prepared to bargain continuously, for as long as it takes. The AMPTP knows we did not state that they had to agree to all of our non-new media proposals. We expect the AMPTP to negotiate in good faith and we will do the same..."
more
================================================

From the AMPTP, 4.30.08

"Notice to Companies represented by the AMPTP in the 2008 SAG Negotiations"

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT – AND AN UPDATE ON NEGOTIATIONS

The AMPTP has been negotiating with SAG now for 13 days. Last week, we asked AFTRA to delay the start of its negotiations until May 5th so that we could give the SAG talks every opportunity to produce an agreement. Since the SAG negotiations are due to wrap up on Friday, May 2nd, today is a good time to let you know where things stand.

When we requested an extra week for the SAG negotiations, we told you that there were “significant gaps” between the parties. Candidly, we must offer the same assessment of the negotiations today, with just over two days to go. Although both parties have spent considerable time in the negotiating room, we are not yet close to an agreement. This is the case for two fundamental reasons:.." more

Thanks to PeachyBC, majorcase-ci.com