SAG negotiators and the studio reps met at AMPTP headquarters today. This evening, a negotiations update appeared on the SAG website replacing yesterday’s brief statement.
The negotiations update thanked SAG members for signing the “Solidarity Statement” over the past four days.
“You have pledged your resolve to stand with your national negotiating committee. Thousands of you from all around the country are telling us you voted NO on the AFTRA contract and support our goal to raise the bar for all actors and their families.”
AFTRA, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, represents some actors. AFTRA has about 70 thousand members – 44 thousand or so also belong to SAG. The membership of SAG is around 120 thousand.
In the past, SAG and AFTRA have negotiated their contracts with the studios together. Not this time. AFTRA decided to work a deal on its own. The relationship between the two unions has been strained before, now it has turned into an ugly public squabble.
AFTRA reached a prime time television tentative agreement with the AMPTP at the end of May. Ballots are out to its members and the results are expected on July 8.
Meanwhile, SAG claims the AFTRA deal short changes actors and has been campaigning for its dual card members to vote it down. SAG chief negotiator Doug Allen stated his union’s position in a press release dated 6-23 which is posted on its website.
