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Listen: SAG AFTRA Postpones Studio Talks
Breaking News: SAG-AFTRA Postpones Studio Talks to Evaluate Latest Offer
• SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios have postponed their much-anticipated bargaining session, scheduled for Wednesday, to evaluate a recent offer from the studios.
• The two sides had resumed negotiations after a two-week suspension on Tuesday night and requested the postponement of Wednesday’s meeting.
• The AMPTP halted talks on October 11 because SAG-AFTRA’s proposed streaming revenue-sharing plan was deemed an “untenable economic burden.”
• The guild and the studios attempted to make some concessions on Tuesday, but this remains a sticking point as they strive to end the 105-day actors’ strike.
• In addition to compensation issues, other topics such as minimum rate increases, health and pension plan contributions, and rules regarding consent and compensation for AI-generated replicas of performers also need to be resolved before reaching an agreement.
The much-anticipated bargaining session between SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios, scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed. This decision was made so the actors guild could carefully assess the most recent studio offer. TheWrap has learned that the guild and AMPTP met on Tuesday after a two-week suspension and were expected to meet again on Wednesday.
Following their meeting on Tuesday night, the guild informed its members of the postponement, which was a departure from the previous talks’ schedule. During the last round of negotiations, the two sides engaged in internal discussions every other day.
Insiders familiar with the studio side of talks were surprised when the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee requested the delay. Nevertheless, they are optimistic that progress will be made when the two sides meet again.
The Tuesday meeting marked the first session since October 11, when the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) suddenly halted talks. The primary issue causing this decision was SAG-AFTRA’s proposed streaming revenue-sharing plan, which the AMPTP described as an “untenable economic burden.”
SAG-AFTRA estimates its proposal would amount to around 57 cents per streaming subscriber, with the revenue distributed among performers whose work appears on the streaming service. However, the AMPTP rejected this proposal, favoring a viewership bonus model similar to the one agreed upon with the WGA. SAG-AFTRA believes that the revenue-sharing plan is a better model to ensure fair pay for all performers in the union.
While some concessions were made on Tuesday to reach a compromise, the revenue-sharing plan remains a major sticking point. Compensation from streaming services remains a key hurdle to overcome if the guild and the studios hope to end the 105-day-long actors’ strike.
In addition to compensation, other issues, such as minimum rate increases, health and pension plan contributions, and rules regarding consent and compensation for AI-generated replicas of performers, still need to be addressed.
SAG-AFTRA is insistent that it is not bound by terms negotiated by the DGA and WGA and is pushing for an 11% minimum increase in the contract’s first year to keep up with inflation. Overall, the guild and studios have much to resolve if they want to end the ongoing strike.