SAG-AFTRA: Union Reveals That Studios Have Declined to Return to Negotiating Table

The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has stated that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which includes such major motion picture studios as Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros., have declined to return to the negotiating table amid the ongoing strikes. The union took to social media to make a short statement following reports that studio executives are planning to urge the National Association of Theatre Owners to convince SAG-AFTRA to halt strike action as it could do damage to movie theaters.

“We want to get back to doing the work we love,” SAG-AFTRA said in response to the recent reports. “We are ready to get back to bargaining and have asked the AMPTP to return to the table. They have declined.” The news that the studios have refused to come back to the table is certainly disappointing, but SAG-AFTRA appear as determined as ever to ensure better working conditions for their members. The fight continues.

This article has been updated and the original article continues below:

Following the announcement that SAG-AFTRA will go on strike, AMPTP (the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) has released a statement in response. As per a report from Deadline, the AMPTP have stated that SAG-AFTRA has “regrettably” decided to strike and outline the offer that they had put forward. An offer that has now been vehemently rejected. You can read the AMPTP’s full statement below.

“AMPTP member companies entered the negotiations with SAG-AFTRA with the goal of forging a new, mutually beneficial contract. The AMPTP presented a deal that offered historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, and a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members. A strike is certainly not the outcome we hoped for as studios cannot operate without the performers that bring our TV shows and films to life. The Union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry.”

Here are some of the components of the Producers’ offer that SAG-AFTRA has chosen to forgo in favor of a strike:

• The highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years
• 76% increase in High Budget SVOD foreign residuals
• Substantial increases in pension and health contribution caps
• Groundbreaking AI proposal which protects performers’ digital likenesses, including a requirement for performer’s consent for the creation and use of digital replicas or for digital alterations of a performance.
• 58% increase in salaries for major role (guest star) performers wages on High Budget SVOD Programs.
• Limitation of self-tape requests, including page, time and tech requirements. Options for virtual or in-person auditions.
• 11% pay increase in year 1 for background actors, stand-ins and photo doubles, an additional 17% increase for background actors required to do extensive self-styling, and an additional 62% increase for stand-ins required to deliver lines during a run-through and photo doubles required to memorize and deliver lines on camera.
• First-time-ever fixed residuals for Stunt Coordinators on television and High Budget SVOD programs.
• Shortened option periods for series regulars earning less than $65,000 per episode on a half-hour series or less than $70,000 per episode on a one-hour series.
• Dancers will now receive the on-camera rate for rehearsal days.
• Additional payments of 25% for dancers required to sing on camera during principal photography, as well as for singers required to dance on camera.
• First-of-its-kind provision establishing rates, terms and conditions for High Budget Programs made for AVOD.
• Hair and make-up consultation for performers of all complexions and hair textures.
• Limits on the amount of initial compensation that can be advanced or prepaid as residuals.

Yesterday afternoon, SAG-AFTRA announced what everyone knew was coming since earlier today — actors will be joining Hollywood’s writers in strike action after negotiations with the groups representing the studios failed to reach an agreement before last night’s contract deadline. During the press conference announcing the strike, which will begin as of midnight on Friday morning, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, “Union members should withhold their labor until a fair contract can be achieved. They have left us with no alternative.”

In an impassioned speech, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher made it clear exactly why the strike had become necessary, and pulled no punches in making the plight on many of those impacted fully known. She said at length:

“It came with great sadness that we came to this crossroads, but we had no choice. We are the victims here. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how far apart we are on so many things. How they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history…

If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble. We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business who cares more about Wall Street than you and your family.

Most Americans don’t have more than $500 in an emergency. This is a very big deal, and it weighed heavy on us.

But at some point, you have to say no, we’re not going to take this anymore. You people are crazy. What are you doing? Why are you doing this? Privately they all say we’re the center of the wheel, that everybody else tinkers around our artistry, but actions speak louder than words. And there was nothing there. It was insulting.

So we came together in strength and solidarity and unity with the largest strike authorization vote in our Union’s history. And we made the hard decision that we tell you, as we stand before you today.

This is major. It’s really serious, and it’s going to impact every single person that is in labor. We are fortunate enough to be in a country right now that happens to be labor friendly. And yet we were facing a proposition that was so labor unfriendly, so tone-deaf to what we are saying. You cannot change the business model as much as it has changed and not expect the contract to change too. We’re not going to keep doing incremental changes on a contract that no longer honors what is happening right now with this business model that was foisted upon us.

What are we doing, moving around furniture on the Titanic? It’s crazy.

So the jig is up, AMPTP. We stand tall. You have to wake up and smell the coffee.

We are labor and we stand tall, and we demand respect and to be honored for our contribution. You share the wealth, because you cannot exist without us.”

RELATED: Dwayne Johnson Supports Actors Strike with Huge Donation to SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Hollywood actors part of The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are now poised to strike after negotiations between those representing the actors and groups representing the studios were unable to come to an agreement before the contract deadline last night. A vote is now scheduled to take place later today and should SAG-AFTRA decide to go on strike, this would mark the first time that both the actors and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have been on strike together in more than 60 years.

“After more than four weeks of negotiations, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros Discovery — remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that you told us are important to you. Because of this, we’ve called for a meeting with our National Board this morning to vote on a strike order,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement.

“As you know, over the past decade, your compensation has been severely eroded by the rise of the streaming ecosystem. Furthermore, artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to creative professions, and all actors and performers deserve contract language that protects them from having their identity and talent exploited without consent and pay. Despite our team’s dedication to advocating on your behalf, the AMPTP has refused to acknowledge that enormous shifts in the industry and economy have had a detrimental impact on those who perform labor for the studios,” the statement continues. “Though we’ve engaged in negotiations in good faith and remained eager to reach a deal that sufficiently addressed performer concerns, the AMPTP’s responses to our proposals have not been adequate.”

“We are deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to walk away from negotiations,” the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said in their own statement. “This is the Union’s choice, not ours… Rather than continuing to negotiate, SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.”

Should the strike go ahead, actors will not be allowed to film any movie or television productions and many big productions such as Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel and Marvel’s Deadpool 3 are preparing for what seems an inevitable shutdown. In addition to this, the strike would also prevent actors from promoting any projects through press junkets, premieres, or events such as the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con.