The Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
are expected to return to the bargaining table again today, but many observers are
suggesting that the two sides are barely going through the motions of bargaining.
On Friday, SAG leaders claimed once again in an update to members that the AMPTP had
refused to match the union's concessions. The AMPTP, in turn, accused SAG of stalling
so it could devote all of its energy to persuading AFTRA members to vote down a separate
deal with the AMPTP negotiated by their leaders. The AFTRA vote is due to be announced
on July 8, more than a week after the current SAG and AFTRA contracts expire on June
30. On Friday AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth called SAG's
efforts "a disgrace" and took issue with SAG's notice to AFTRA members that rejection
of the contract would not mean a strike. "The notion that one can reject a hard-fought
contract, which exceeds industry 'pattern,' without backing it up with the courage
of your convictions, is absurd," Hedgpeth said. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks, who SAG recently
identified as an opponent of the AFTRA contract, added his name to a letter by other
prominent AFTRA members who also are members of SAG calling for ratification of the
agreement. The letter called it "a very good deal."
23/06/2008
See Also
