Actors Union Approves Pact With Producers By LAUREN A.E. SCHUKER Wall Street Journal
July 9, 2008; Page B8 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121556826732438011.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news Members of Hollywood actors unions approved a new three-year contract in a vote that was closely watched in Hollywood as an indication of whether the larger Screen Actors Guild will be able to continue pressing for a better deal in its own contentious labor talks with film and television producers. Members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists approved their new contract with a 62.4% majority. In recent weeks, the Aftra vote became something of a referendum on the actors' desire to continue negotiating for a better contract with the studios, as the two unions share about 44,000 members. SAG, currently embroiled in difficult talks with Hollywood studios, campaigned vigorously against the new Aftra deal as a means of demonstrating that its members are willing to aggressively pursue better terms in their own contract -- even on the heels of a crippling 100-day strike by screenwriters last winter. Aftra members approved the new contract by a lower margin than in the past, when contracts were jointly negotiated with SAG. The lower approval margin is bound to be interpreted by some as a sign that SAG's leadership has significant support to continue pushing the studios for a better deal. Others will declare the vote is a rebuke of the rival union's leadership and a sign SAG might have to settle. As a result, the SAG contract won't get resolved for some time. SAG hasn't yet called for a strike-authorization vote, despite the June 30 expiration of its contract. But its members possibly could be locked out by movie and TV producers if negotiations don't quickly progress. Another possible scenario involves declaring an impasse in the talks, which would allow the studios to impose parts of their final offer. The Aftra deal is the fifth labor agreement made between the studios and a Hollywood union this year, after a three-month strike by screenwriters in late 2007 and early 2008 brought film and TV production to a near standstill. Labor battles with the actors this spring resulted in a work slowdown, as the studios fretted about starting productions that could be shut down by a strike. Consequently, there are almost no films currently in production. SAG is now the only major Hollywood union left without a contract. But it is unclear whether SAG will make its own deal soon. SAG leadership says the studios' final offer -- made last week -- is still insufficient in many important areas, like actor compensation and force majeure. In late May, Aftra made the tentative deal with the studios that was ratified Tuesday. That was the first time in 27 years that Aftra and the 120,000-member SAG negotiated separately. SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the studios' bargaining arm, are meeting later this week. The Guild has announced it will meet with the Alliance Thursday afternoon to discuss the final offer on the table. It remains to be seen whether the results will help or hurt SAG's leadership. Some will see it as a setback for the union, but others will see the results as encouraging SAG leadership to fight for a better contract because the margin of approval is lower than previous contracts ratified this year. Doug Allen, SAG's national executive director, says, "I hope that management will recognize that this vote is not a productive result for them." ================================ George Antunes, Political Science Dept University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204 Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927 antunes at uh dot edu ******************************* * POST TO [EMAIL PROTECTED] * ******************************* Medianews mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
