The Screen Actors Guild and the representatives from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are heading back to the bargaining table, according to a joint statement that appeared on the SAG website yesterday. The brief statement is below.
“Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have agreed to meet on February 17 and 18, at the AMPTP offices in Sherman Oaks, California. We will have no further comment about the meeting.”
The contract talks were scheduled to re-boot a week ago, but were abruptly put on hold due to more SAG drama. The squabbling factions in Hollywood’s largest acting union took their battle to a Los Angeles court twice last week. Both times a judge rejected a request for a temporary restraining order to block a decision last month by SAG Board Directors to fire hardliner National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Doug Allen. The TRO was supported by SAG President Alan Rosenberg, SAG First Vice-President Anne-Marie Johnson and National Board members Kent McCord and Diane Ladd.
Last Sunday, the SAG National Board of Directors had a do-over on the controversial vote and again Allen and the SAG Negotiating Committee got the axe. The committee was replaced with a task force more to the board’s liking. David White was appointed Interim National Director. And the chief negotiator position has been taken over by John T. McGuire.
So on with the negotiations. Let’s see what kind of a deal SAG will get now from the producers.
