Title: SAG-AFTRA and Studios Prepare to Resume Negotiations after Lengthy Strike
Subtitle: Exclusive: Talks to potentially end the strike may take place within hours
(Getty)
Los Angeles, California – After 116 days of strike, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the major studios are gearing up for another round of negotiations. Although a deal may not be reached immediately, sources suggest that both parties are preparing to speak virtually later today, with discussions potentially extending into the night.
While formal meeting arrangements have yet to be finalized, a guild source revealed that a time for negotiations is anticipated to be locked in “very soon.” It remains unclear whether the CEOs of the major studios, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley, Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav, Disney’s Bob Iger, and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, will participate in the talks. However, SAG-AFTRA’s Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and AMPTP President Carol Lombardini are expected to be present.
The fresh round of talks follows SAG-AFTRA’s response to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ (AMPTP) “last, best and final” offer on November 3. The guild’s response, described as “measured” by a guild member close to the negotiations, involved an in-depth review of the studios’ proposal, which was a counter to SAG-AFTRA’s comprehensive counteroffer in late October.
According to studio insiders, both sides understand each other’s positions but are now focused on bridging the remaining gaps. The studios’ latest proposal reportedly includes the highest wage increases for actors in four decades. Additionally, it offers a 100% increase in performance compensation bonuses for high-budget streaming series and films. The proposal also includes “full” artificial intelligence (AI) protections, health and pension fund contributions, and more. Industry sources state that the studios’ offer goes “a long way” in meeting SAG-AFTRA’s demands.
The strike has taken a toll on the industry, estimated to have cost the California economy over $6.5 billion and resulted in the loss of 45,000 entertainment industry jobs. As negotiations progress, it remains uncertain how quickly actors can resume work and promote new projects once a deal is reached. Unlike the Writers Guild of America (WGA), whose members returned to work before a final vote on their new contract, SAG-AFTRA’s 160,000 members may face challenges in returning to work during a contract ratification period.
Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA members and their supporters continue to picket in front of studio lots and offices in Los Angeles and New York. This week, two prominent CEOs, from Warner Bros Discovery and Disney, will face Wall Street scrutiny as they release quarterly earnings reports and provide projections for the coming year.
As the strike enters a critical phase, all eyes are on the negotiations, with the hopes of resolving the dispute and bringing an end to the industry standstill.
Related: Dispatches From The Picket Lines: Striking NYC Actors On Stress, Hope, Fran Drescher & Yoga
Related: Optimistic Fran Drescher Rebukes Criticism Of Her SAG-AFTRA Leadership: “I Can Be Me”