SAG Threatening to Strike

[J_UNTITLED]

From The Associated Press (via Google)...

"The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator.

Federal mediator Juan Carlos Gonzalez adjourned the talks between SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers shortly before 1 a.m. after two marathon sessions failed to produce an agreement. No new talks are scheduled.

The SAG, representing more than 120,000 actors in movies, television and other media, said in a statement that it will launch a "full-scale education campaign in support of a strike authorization."

Talks broke down after the studios sought the right to create productions for new media, such as the Internet, using nonunion actors and without paying residuals, said Doug Allen, SAG national executive director and chief negotiator.

Residuals are payments to actors that are made every time a production airs, such as TV reruns. Many SAG members rely on residuals for more than half of their income, Allen said.

"They're asking us to bless a system we believe would be the beginning of the end of residuals, and that's a very scary thought for working actors," he said.

The producers' alliance condemned the SAG decision and said it remains the only major Hollywood guild without a labor deal this year.

"Now, SAG is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote — at a time of historic economic crisis," a producers' statement said. "The tone-deafness of SAG is stunning."

SAG's national board has already authorized its negotiating committee to call for a strike authorization vote if mediation failed. The vote would take more than a month and require more than 75 percent approval to pass.

SAG wants union coverage for all Internet-only productions regardless of budget and residual payments for Internet productions replayed online, as well as continued actor protections during work stoppages.

But the AMPTP said it was untenable for SAG to demand a better deal than what writers, directors and another actors union accepted earlier in the year, especially now that the economy has worsened.

The producers' group this week said it had reached its sixth labor deal this year, a tentative agreement on a three-year contract with the local branches of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts, accounting for 35,000 workers.

The stagehands alliance accepted Internet provisions that were modeled on agreements with other unions, the producers group said.

Actors in prime-time television shows and movies have been working under the terms of a contract that expired June 30, with the hope of avoiding a repeat of the 100-day writers strike which shut down production of dozens of TV shows and cost the Los Angeles area economy an estimated $2.5 billion."

[Sussudio]

meh, what happens happens. hopefully it will get resolved sooner rather than later.

[assydingo]

How fun.

If they cancel Mad Men or Dollhouse because of this I'll be pissed. (not sure why they would, just saying)

[fatediesel]

This strategy backfired for the writers, and it will backfire for the actors if they choose this action. With the state of the economy California cannot afford for this to happen. All the major media companies are being hammered by the economy right now and likely will stand firm in their belief that the actors don't deserve more than the writers or directors. I would think there is a good chance of the strike vote failing, as I would assume most poor actors (which is the majority of SAG members) cannot afford a work stoppage.

As for the previous post about this causing the cancellation of Mad Men or Dollhouse, this might delay the next season of Mad Men, but there is no way AMC is going to cancel their highest rated show. It doesn't look like Fox has much faith in Dollhouse, as they are giving it a Friday night death slot with a low rated Sarah Connor Chronicles as it's lead-in. I'm surprised they didn't pair it with 24, House, or American Idol. I would be shocked if that show isn't canceled before the end of the season.

[jadedeath]

Anything that gets Tommy Cruise and his Scientology nitwits out on the picket lines so we can point and laugh at them for a day or two I say go with it.

But no longer for a day or two, California would be eaten by the Pacific if it lasts longer than that.

Not to mention what would happen to the rest of the planet due to the amount of money that Hollywood dumps into various economies.

Logan

[Rob71]

If the strike happens, how long before the private jets show up in DC with execs going before congress(little c) asking for their handout, I mean bailout?

[mikejet]

Can't they wait until after the seasons finish?

Oh well, glad Entourage and True Blood end tonight.

[GreenScar]

Well the writers strike is the main reason that both Potter and Trek were moved from this month to next Summer. It's not a good thing if it goes on a while.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by jasonbird

Well the writers strike is the main reason that both Potter and Trek were moved from this month to next Summer. It's not a good thing if it goes on a while.

I beg to differ, but only slightly.

I think it'll be a good thing if the strike goes on for awhile. The Writer's strike didn't really affect the actors TOO much. I mean there wasn't a financial crisis going on and the actors that you see now are still the same menagerie of stupid.

With the Financial crisis It'll actually learn the Actors a very important lesson.

Hell, some of the bad ones might actually have to get REAL jobs.

Logan

[GreenScar]

Very good point.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by jadedeath

I beg to differ, but only slightly.

I think it'll be a good thing if the strike goes on for awhile. The Writer's strike didn't really affect the actors TOO much. I mean there wasn't a financial crisis going on and the actors that you see now are still the same menagerie of stupid.

With the Financial crisis It'll actually learn the Actors a very important lesson.

Hell, some of the bad ones might actually have to get REAL jobs.
Logan

Who would make all those wonderful Sci-Fi Channel exclusives then?

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by Rob71

Who would make all those wonderful Sci-Fi Channel exclusives then?

Goddamn, you're right... what will we do without Carnosaurus from the Future of Mars?

Originally Posted by J_UNTITLED

No disrespect, but I seriously take issue with the notion that being an actor is not a "real job."

I feel that every actor should be paid in commission. If your acting sucks, and your movie sucks and people don't go to see it then you don't get paid.

In fact, I think most people in the entertainment industry should be paid in commission.

Logan

[J_UNTITLED]

Originally Posted by jadedeath

Hell, some of the bad ones might actually have to get REAL jobs.

No disrespect, but I seriously take issue with the notion that being an actor is not a "real job."

[Midnightsailor]

Who needs 'em? There's plenty of actors who will work for free.