Hollywood Studios in Hot Water: SAG-AFTRA's Accusations Expose Shocking ‘Bully Tactics’

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SAG-AFTRA and major studios have hit pause on negotiations amid the ongoing strike.

On Wednesday, October 11, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced that progress in negotiations with SAG-AFTRA has come to a halt. In a press release, the trade association, which represents major companies including Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony, stated that negotiations were suspended after SAG-AFTRA presented their latest proposal on October 11. Despite engaging in meaningful discussions, it has become evident that there is a substantial gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA, and further conversations are no longer proving to be productive.

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The conclusion stated: "We anticipate that SAG-AFTRA will reassess and resume productive negotiations in the near future."

In reply, SAG-AFTRA alleged that the studios abruptly withdrew and accused them of employing "intimidating tactics."

"The studios deliberately misled the press by inflating the cost of the proposed initiative by 60 percent," stated SAG in a press release on October 12. "Similarly, they have misrepresented their intentions with AI technology, asserting that they prioritize performer consent while simultaneously insisting on obtaining consent from the very first day of employment for the use of a performer's digital replica in any cinematic universe or franchise project."

SAG-AFTRA emphasized their commitment to continue negotiating on behalf of their members.

"The companies are employing the same unsuccessful tactic they attempted to impose on the WGA - disseminating misleading information in an effort to deceive our members into forsaking our unity and exerting pressure on our negotiators," the statement concluded. "However, just like the writers, our members are more astute than that and will not be deceived."

According to AMPTP, the disagreement arose from the proposal for actors to receive a 2 percent share of revenue from streaming platforms. AMPTP also mentioned "several remaining unresolved issues" that were still under discussion, but did not specify the specific topics causing disagreement. Earlier this month, SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP resumed negotiations after previously failing to agree on regulations for AI, minimum wage rates, and other matters.

The WGA initially began a strike in May after failing to reach an agreement in its contract negotiations with the AMPTP. Two months later, SAG-AFTRA joined the writers on the picket line after their own labor dispute with the AMPTP reached an impasse. Consequently, Hollywood productions were forced to shut down unless they followed the SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement.

In September, the WGA and AMPTP eventually reached a three-year contract agreement.

The WGA negotiating committee wrote an email to its members expressing great pride in this exceptional deal. They highlighted the meaningful gains and protections for writers in all sectors of the membership. The email also included a 94-page document outlining the new terms, which covered compensation gains, a new minimum staff requirement for TV writer's rooms, improved payment terms for screenwriters, and protections regarding the use of artificial intelligence.