SAG-AFTRA Contract Talks Officially Begin Following “Astounding” Strike-Authorization Vote
deadline.comSAG-AFTRA and the studios have begun negotiations for a new film and TV contract. The talks, which got underway Wednesday morning at the Sherman Oaks offices of the studios’ reps the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, come two days after the guild’s members voted 97.9% in favor of authorizing a strike if an acceptable deal isn’t reached by the end of the month.
The negotiations, which are being held under a media blackout, also come the day after the Directors Guild’s national board unanimously approved the DGA’s own new contract with the AMPTP, and on the 37th day of the Writers Guild strike. “Today, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP began formal negotiations for a new contract, and with the agreement that neither organization will comment to the media about the negotiations during the process.,” the two sides said in a joint statement.
Commenting on the “astounding” results of the strike-authorization vote, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland issued a joint statement Tuesday saying that “As we enter these negotiations, in good faith and with the intention of securing a strong deal for our members, this vote is a powerful signal to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that we’re ready for any eventuality.
The stakes have never been higher: We need to ensure a future where members can make a living as a performer and are protected from the misuse of evolving technologies. “Months of preparation have gone into our union’s initial proposals.
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