With the Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG) currently in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP), Hollywood is wondering if there will be a second strike in less than seven months when the SAG contract expires on 30 June.
SAG, which maintains that it doesn’t want to strike, started talks with the AMPTP last week in Encino. Analysts have been reasonably positive thus far but the key issues on which the two parties are likely to disagree on are to be discussed this week, namely new media compensation. This is what caused the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike to drag on for so long.
The AMPTP has stated its intention to sign a contract with SAG along the lines of the WGA and Directors Guild of America (DGA) contracts, while SAG insists that it needs a better new media and DVD deal.
SAG is under pressure to complete negotiations by 27 April as the other actors’ union, the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA) is due to start its own talks with the AMPTP next week.
