Actors Strike?

[triplet]

We had a thread for the writers' strike but no one has really been talking about the upcoming Actor contract deadline...

The SAG contract for Primetime and Features (and not all primetime shows are under SAG, Reaper is under the AFTRA contract), expires on June 30th...

It would take 3 weeks for the SAG members to vote on a strike authorization and would require 75% of members approval, so the soonest the strike would hit would be sometime in July, which would probably be after Smallville starts filming...

SAG leadership has tried to derail AFTRA's ratification of their deal, but AFTRA looks like it will approve their deal officially on July 7th.

Here's a Variety article on the increasing liklihood of the strike and how the networks and majors are planning on handling it, should it come:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=10&cs=1

Some features currently in production have hiatuses already planned for this summer. Others had put off the start of filming until later in the year...

There is even talk of a lockout if the negotiations don't go well and the AMPTP will take the option of a strike out of SAG's hands...

This all sounds crazy.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Anyone know what The CW and Smallville has planned if a strike would happen?

All I gotta say is WTF is SAG thinking forcing a strike so soon after the disastrous WGA one?



It's all crazy...

[Prison Mike]

not another strike! I hate these damn strikes trying to ruin my tv viewing pleasures.

[Mikelus]

If studios let another strike happen, it will show how stupid and ridiculously greedy they've become, but I think a deal will be made soon, they just can't afford another long strike.

[Zorex]

Yeah, that's great, can't wait for this...

[triplet]

Maybe the Screen Actor's Guild members won't authorize the strike, no matter what their leaders want.

I mean, they saw the impact it had on them when the writers went on strike. I bet most haven't recovered from that work stoppage, why would they want another one?

[Lighthouse]

If you guys wanna read the past articles about whats been happening, I've got a strike thread in the Misc Films Forum. So far, it isn't looking good. I'm very doubtful that they'll have an agreement reached. What I don't understand is their campaign against AFTRA. I mean, if you want a better deal, stick with your own negotiations. Why waste so many valuable resources to attack and try to block a vote for a different guild?

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=304350

[triplet]

That part of it doesn't make sense...

Why try so hard to derail AFTRA's deal? They have some 44,000 members in common with AFTRA, but is it really to their benefit to get their membership to NOT ratify the deal?

How will that help?

I'm not as up on the actor stuff as the writer stuff, so I'm perplexed why they would even care.....

Does it affect their ablity to deal much the same way that the DGA deal seemed to have affected the WGA negotiations?



I'm very confused by this....

[Lighthouse]

Here's some interesting info on what will happen after the deadline.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...?categoryid=13

Originally Posted by Variety

July may burn SAG, producers
Feature-primetime deal expires June 30th
By DAVE MCNARY
With SAG unlikely to make a deal in the next two weeks, both sides will move on to tricky turf as of July 1, the day after the guild's current feature-primetime deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers expires.

As of July 1, changes for thesps include the following:

* The no-strike no-lockout clause is no longer in effect.

* The union security clause, requiring actors to be under guild jurisdiction, is no longer in effect.

* The grievance and arbitration requirements are suspended, meaning that grievances that are filed can't be arbitrated until a new deal's signed.

Biz insiders say the lack of grievance and arbitration coverage is by far the most significant issue for thesps during a period when there is no guild contract in force.

Although there are no explicit rules governing how the studios and guild should function after a contract expires without the guild going on strike, tradition in union negotiations dictates that SAG actors will continue to work under terms and conditions of the expired contract -- on those productions whose studios have decided to take their chances and not close down amid the uncertainty.

Though neither side has issued any public comment about the negotiations since the verbal sparring last week, those close to the talks have signaled that a resolution is at least a few more weeks away.

SAG has not taken a strike authorization vote, which would require 75% approval and probably a few weeks to get ballots out to 120,000 members. AMPTP companies have not given any sign that they are moving toward locking the actors out, even though such a step would be permissible once the contract expires. In addition, the AMPTP -- the negotiation arm for studios and networks -- has not yet made its "last, best and final" offer.

It's not uncommon for unions to continue negotiations beyond contract deadlines. SAG went four days past the contract deadline in 2001 before making a deal, and the WGA went five months past expiration in 2004 before it finally reach a tentative deal.

Earlier this year, the WGA East closed deals for ABC and CBS news employees more than two years after its old deals expired.

Talks between SAG and the AMPTP were in their 32nd day Tuesday with progress remaining elusive. Meanwhile, SAG has been focused on a campaign against the primetime contract reached by rival union AFTRA, which has some 44,000 overlapping members with SAG.

Results of AFTRA's ratification vote are expected to be announced July 7 or soon thereafter, which makes the week after the Independence Day holiday a pivotal time in the guild talks. Sentiment in the biz is that SAG will lose much of its bargaining leverage if the AFTRA deal is approved by members.

AFTRA's leaders have defended the deal -- pointing to gains in salary minimums and new media -- and characterized SAG as unrealistic in demanding more than the DGA, WGA and AFTRA achieved in their negotiations.

SAG, in a message to the 44,000 members who belong to both unions, has continued to blast away.

"AFTRA's tentative deal -- reached on its own under an artificial deadline six weeks before the conclusion of the contract -- achieves few if any real gains for actors," SAG said.

Anyone think the Producers might get fed up and actually do a lockout?

[RickO'Connell]

Originally Posted by Lighthouse

Anyone think the Producers might get fed up and actually do a lockout?

That would be stupid on their part. This whole thing reeks of stupid already

[NHawk19]

Looks like SAG may move forward

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...ll-852825.html

[RickO'Connell]

I hope they are prepared to become hated because no one will be behind them on this

[triplet]

I agree.... their taking a strike at this time would leave them few supporters in the public.

I know I don't want another strike shortened season. That would seriously blow.



It looks like they'll keep on working on negotiations even after the contract expires Tuesday night:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/...Lb3fDZQDYwFxkF

I really hope they see reason and don't authorize a strike....

[Lighthouse]

Originally Posted by triplet

I agree.... their taking a strike at this time would leave them few supporters in the public.

I know I don't want another strike shortened season. That would seriously blow.



It looks like they'll keep on working on negotiations even after the contract expires Tuesday night:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/...Lb3fDZQDYwFxkF

I really hope they see reason and don't authorize a strike....

Thing is, they probably couldn't get one authorized. Unlike the WGA, SAG is heavily divided, especially on the East coast(who denounced the AFTRA attacks). It would be a crippling embarrassment if they proceeded with strike authorization, but not get the 75% approval they need.

July 8th is the real deadline date. Thats when AFTRA announces whether or not their deal was approved. If it is approved, SAG is pretty much screwed. If it doesn't pass, SAG is hoping they'll do joint bargaining, but I doubt AFTRA will ever work with SAG again. If AFTRA's deal doesn't go through, theres gonna be a big **** storm.

[triplet]

Originally Posted by Lighthouse

Thing is, they probably couldn't get one authorized. Unlike the WGA, SAG is heavily divided, especially on the East coast(who denounced the AFTRA attacks). It would be a crippling embarrassment if they proceeded with strike authorization, but not get the 75% approval they need.

July 8th is the real deadline date. Thats when AFTRA announces whether or not their deal was approved. If it is approved, SAG is pretty much screwed. If it doesn't pass, SAG is hoping they'll do joint bargaining, but I doubt AFTRA will ever work with SAG again. If AFTRA's deal doesn't go through, theres gonna be a big **** storm.

I hope AFTRA's deal does go through... hopefully it'll mean that SAG will have to make a deal.

[The Incredible Hulk]

if SAG goes on strike they're bigger fools than the writers.

[triplet]

Here's an article on the looming deadline, which is 12:01 tonight:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/2008...iO_hv8jiVpMhkF

It doesn't look like they'll strike right away, but wait to see how the AFTRA vote goes first, which would put any strike authorization vote at sometime in July like that earlier article stated.

Smallville starts filming next Monday, so if they strike that soon, they will only have one episode, and maybe part of a second, in the can by then....

It's crazy.

I hope SAG isn't depending on the AMPTP to blink first, because they won't. The writers learned that the hard way.

[Webhead2006]

Yea i was reading about this they are not going to authorize a strike while there are still talking with the studios. So that means we get atless a few more weeks of productions going for tv/film before they will be striking if they get the votes for a strike.

[triplet]

This new article is interesting...

The AMPTP made an offer last night and SAG is looking it over today, but it doesn't look promising...

SAG criticized the proposed contract terms and the producers said they will not consider any counter-offers: it's their "final offer."

However, according to the article the proposals are "in line" with the deals the writers, directors and AFTRA made with the producers so I'm not sure the actors will get a better deal.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080701/...5QAgl1fhpxFb8C

In the mean time, actors will work under the terms of the old contract even though it has expired.

[Mikelus]

Lets hope the actors are "reasonable", I don't think most people around the world would support them, the writers' strike did enough damage already.

[triplet]

Originally Posted by Mikelus

Lets hope the actors are "reasonable", I don't think most people around the world would support them, the writers' strike did enough damage already.

I hope so, we don't need another strike... the last strike nearly ended the season at 15 episodes.

[Webhead2006]

yea and screwed over many other shows too. Hopefully the heads at SAG just take what ever offer the studios give them to atless get some things they wanted while compromising on other things.

[RickO'Connell]

Originally Posted by Mikelus

Lets hope the actors are "reasonable", I don't think most people around the world would support them, the writers' strike did enough damage already.

This whole thing is unreasonable. I don't think actors know what reasonable mean

[Brainiac 8]

Television has already lost many viewers last from the last strike...does Hollywood really want to chance the viewership dropping even more?

[Lighthouse]

Originally Posted by triplet

This new article is interesting...

The AMPTP made an offer last night and SAG is looking it over today, but it doesn't look promising...

SAG criticized the proposed contract terms and the producers said they will not consider any counter-offers: it's their "final offer."

However, according to the article the proposals are "in line" with the deals the writers, directors and AFTRA made with the producers so I'm not sure the actors will get a better deal.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080701/...5QAgl1fhpxFb8C

In the mean time, actors will work under the terms of the old contract even though it has expired.

I wouldn't take the final offer to seriously. Apparently the WGA were offered several "final" offers. Basically whats gonna happen is they're gonna negotiate until the AFTRA vote is done, then we'll see how the chips fall.

[triplet]

Originally Posted by Lighthouse

I wouldn't take the final offer to seriously. Apparently the WGA were offered several "final" offers. Basically whats gonna happen is they're gonna negotiate until the AFTRA vote is done, then we'll see how the chips fall.

Oh, I know, but they're talking the same sort of talk they did with the writers and those guys were on strike for more than 3 months...