On Thursday, October 12, SAG-AFTRA and The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers negotiations have come to a standstill.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) posted an update on the ongoing negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and themselves regarding a new proposal for fair wages. The statement has concluded the gap between the sides is “too great” and “Conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction,” so negotiations have been effectively suspended.
The AMPTP says, “SAG-AFTRA’s current offer included what it characterized as a viewership bonus that, by itself, would cost more than $800 million per year – which would create an untenable economic burden” regarding the existing proposal. SAG-AFTRA responded, alleging the AMPTP is engaging in “bully tactics” and said, “We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began,” including the allegation that the AMPTP “intentionally misrepresented to the press the cost of the above proposal — overstating it by 60%.”
The response from SAG-AFTRA continues with, “The companies are using the same failed strategy they tried to inflict on the WGA – putting out misleading information in an attempt to fool our members into abandoning our solidarity and putting pressure on our negotiators.” Seeing as how the WGA secured a new deal on September 27, five months after beginning the strike, SAG-AFTRA is seeking a fair deal for all involved as the WGA has. The WGA contends it still remains in solidarity with actors in this ongoing negotiation period, as they’ve posted on X (formerly Twitter) in support.
SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14, marking nearly three months or a quarter of a year since negotiations started between the two sides. Judging from the latest statements from both sides, it appears things will get much worse before a deal is reached. Fans can head over to the SAG-AFTRA site for their statement or the AMPTP site to read their full statement.
