SAG-AFTRA is back at the bargaining table with the Hollywood studios to renegotiate the deal that ended the historically long actors strike less than three years ago.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers met with union leadership Monday to formally begin talks on a new TV/Theatrical minimum basic agreement. Deadline understands the two parties have been communicating informally for several months to signal priorities and prime the pump ahead of time. On Saturday, the SAG-AFTRA national board approved the union’s official proposal package.
We’ve also heard that both sides have agreed to a media blackout, as they customarily have in the past. That means formal statements are unlikely to reveal much about any progress unless things go sideways.
Regardless of how talks progress, don’t expect much to come from the first few days. Typically, the union and the AMPTP will each share proposals, which they’ll then in turn need to review and counter. That usually eats up most of the first week, if not longer.
Healthcare is the biggest priority for all three guilds in this bargaining cycle. The DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA health and pension plans have all operated in deficits the last few years to cover rising healthcare costs amid a dramatic decrease in employment. However, newly elected SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin told Deadline last month that he was hesitant to elevate any specific problem above the rest. To put it simply, it’s a tough time in the entertainment industry.
“The idea of picking any one thing or any three things, I think, might start to shape a narrative that is totally out of sync with what our needs are,” he said. “One thing I think about is the fact that we’re doing a lot of heavy lifting that the companies are benefiting from, just in terms of corralling the kinds of folks who work with them and assembling their needs.”
Artificial intelligence protections are also expected to be a topic of conversation, as are backend residuals. While it’s not a bargaining-specific problem, the pending acquisition of Warner Bros. is also sure to be a topic of conversation, since any deal would go through within the next contract cycle.
SAG-AFTRA’s current contract expires on June 30. The Writers Guild of America East and West are expected to begin negotiating on March 6, followed by the Directors Guild in May, so the actors union has about a month to make a deal. Otherwise, they’ll circle back to the table after the WGA and DGA.
Speaking of, the DGA issues a statement of support for its sister guild on Monday.
“The Directors Guild of America stands in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA as they begin negotiations with the AMPTP,” the guild said in a statement via a spokesperson. “Directors, directorial teams, performers, and all creative workers share a common goal to secure fair compensation, world class retirement and health benefits, meaningful workplace protections, sustainable careers, and a future in which all our contributions are respected and valued. We are committed to standing with SAG-AFTRA in their fight for a fair contract that recognizes its members incredible contributions to the entertainment industry.”
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