SAG Rejects Studios' Offer, Proposes Counteroffer

Actors union continues to oppose current terms, offers up an amended three-year contract

By Natalie Finn Jul 11, 2008 3:58 AMTags
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SAG won't strike and it won't settle. So what does it want?

The Screen Actors Guild has again rejected the new three-year deal proposed last week by major Hollywood studios and TV networks, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said Thursday evening following a five-hour sit-down with SAG leaders.

Instead, the 120,000-member union presented an amended counteroffer that more resembled its idea of what fair residuals and wage increases look like.

"We made it clear our final is our final and that we're not interested in further counterproposals," a rep for the AMPTP said, a day after the alliance issued an Aug. 15 acceptance deadline if SAG wanted any upcoming wage increases to be retroactive to July 1.

The union's last deal—which for the time being is still governing the terms under which actors are currently working—expired June 30.

The AMPTP has said that the new deal it offered will result in $250,000 million in additional compensation for SAG members over the years.

Meanwhile, SAG executive director Doug Allen has called the sum "highly inflated." He called their counteroffer a "comprehensive [deal] that adopted some of their proposals and offered alternatives on others."

While SAG is trying to hang tough, the approval of a new three-year deal by the smaller American Federation of TV & Radio Artists earlier this week has certainly weakened its negotiating power.

The two unions share about 40,000 members.

"The last thing we need is a long, hot summer of labor strife that puts even more pressure on a badly struggling economy and deprives audiences of the entertainment they clearly desire in such difficult times," the AMPTP's statement continued.

SAG said that union officials will contact producers Friday afternoon after taking time to talk among themselves tomorrow.