Ongoing SAG/AFTRA strike updates
This is a post I’ve been meaning to get up for a while. As I write this strikes are on their 95th and 22nd days respectively. I’ve created count-ups at the bottom of the page. I steadfastly support the writers and actors. If you think 10,000 writers and 171,000 actors are all millionaires you’re wrong, so please keep corporate bootlicking to yourself.
UPDATE: 10/12/23
Aftert yesterday talks have been suspended between SAG/AFTRA and the AMPTP. The studios came out on the offensive with their version of the most recent breakdown:
Negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA have been suspended after SAG-AFTRA presented its most recent proposal on October 11. After meaningful conversations, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction.
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. SAG-AFTRA presented few, if any, moves on the numerous remaining open items.
Member company executives and AMPTP representatives met with SAG-AFTRA for five days over the past eight workdays. During that time period, AMPTP extended offers including:
- A first-of-its-kind success-based residual for High-Budget SVOD productions.
- The highest percentage increase in minimums in 35 years, which would generate an additional $717 million in wages and $177 million in contributions to the Pension and Health Plans during the contract term.
- A 58% increase in salaries for major role (guest star) performers wages on High Budget SVOD Programs.
- A 76% increase in High Budget SVOD foreign residuals for the four largest streaming services.
- Substantial increases in pension and health contribution caps, ranging from 22-33%, which will make it easier for performers to qualify for additional periods of health coverage and earn years of service toward a pension.
- Meeting nearly all of the Union’s demands on casting, including guardrails around self-tapes, options for virtual and in-person auditions, and accommodations to performers with disabilities.
- Compensation adjustments of 25% for singers who dance and dancers who sing on camera in the same session, whether in rehearsal or photography, representing a 30% increase over current wages.
- Wage increases for stunt coordinators of 10% in the first year and outsized increases in years two and three, and giving television stunt coordinators fixed residuals for the first time ever.
- Substantial improvements in relocation allowance – a 200% increase if the performer is on an overnight location for 6 months. The relocation allowance would now be payable for every season in which the performer is on an overnight location (versus a current limit of two to four seasons).
- Substantial increases in Schedule F money breaks of between 11% and 41%. The 41% increase applies to one-hour television programs, which covers the largest number of productions done under the Agreement.
- A 25% increase in span money breaks.
- Covering performance capture work under the Agreement, which the Union has sought for 20 years.
- On AI protections:
- Advance consent from the performer and background actor to create and use Digital Replicas;
- No Digital Replica of the performer can be used without the performer’s written consent and description of the intended use in the film;
- Prohibition of later use of that Replica, unless performer specifically consents to that new use and is paid for it; and,
- A “Digital Alteration” that would change the nature of an actor’s performance in a role is not permitted without informing the performer of the intended alteration and securing the performer’s consent.
On common issues, such as general wage increases, High-Budget SVOD residuals, and viewership bonuses, the AMPTP offered the same terms that were ratified by the DGA and WGA. Yet SAG-AFTRA rejected these.
We hope that SAG-AFTRA will reconsider and return to productive negotiations soon.
To which SAG-AFTRA resonded:
UPDATE: 10/9/23
The first substantive update since negotiations reopened seems to confirm nothing much has happened and both sides are regrouping.
UPDATE: 10/6/23
As of this writing SAG/AFTRA and AMPTP are heading into a fifth day of negotiations in their current session. I’m more than a bit disappointed and flabbergasted the studios seem to still be playing hardball considering the season of scripted network television hangs in the balance. There was some news after day one of the clichéd “cautious optimism” after day one, but not much since. However, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been labor news.
UPDATE: 9/28/23
Negotiation restart set.
Update: 9/27/23
With the WGA strike thankfully resolved this post now has a singular focus. There’s been a lot of rumors going around about SAG/AFTRA negotiations reusming but nothing official. So much so that SAG/AFTRA posted this today:
NEWSFLASH: 9/24/23
THERE IS A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AMPTP AND THE WGA.
The writer’s strike is not quite over yet, there are some votes and final approvals to go through but it’s finally winding down. I was hopeful when more studios joined this most recent round of negotiations, but wasn’t holding my breath. You can read more here.
Random Most Important Thoughts 8/31/2023
Taylor Swift’s concert film will serve as a way to bolster exhibitors’ profits while not aiding the studios it seems. So that’s good stuff.
With the Venice Film Festival kicking off it’s the first major event where I’ve heard of actors speaking out abroad, like Adam Driver. International pressure against multinationals is not just fair, it’s necessary.
Solidarity appears strong when donations like this from the DGA are made.
With many majors scrubbing their Q4 release calendars some indies might grab more screens and attention. Case in point would be, What Happens Later. This is by no means Meg Ryan’s first indie, but it’s garnering pre-release attention unlike any she’s ever done, not only because she’s also the director. I actually found out this movie’s on the horizon thanks to a post by Regal Cinema’s Facebook.
Random, Most Important Thoughts 8/23/2023
A court ruled this week about whether or not works wholly created by AI could be copyrighted. That’s not as comforting as ruling it infringement of existing copyright though. Also the AI conversation is far more layered than just this decision. A great resource to follow on social media platforms about this topic is Justine Bateman, a member of both unions.
Studios are still looking at this through their own lens and are apparently not even worried about damage control. If they were they wouldn’t let stories about how much money the strike will save them get out.
Of course now that they saved it they don’t want to part with it though. Examples of that are that the AMPTP believes that lecturing the writers on how good their counteroffer was constitutes re-entering negotiations.
One of the most notable TV impact of the strikes so far is on Jeopardy. They’ll recycle old clues to skirt hiring scabs and will only have one host as opposed to two. Another impact is networks have ported streaming shows ported over to network TV. I think refusing to watch those on TV is the only acceptable boycott. It’s a cheap way for the studios to fill shedules and stick to their unfair streaming residuals. Canceling streaming services only helps the studios.
Random, Most Important Thoughts 8/5/2023
Even if the studios were all cash-strapped, it still hasn’t stopped them spending excessively on Oscar campaigns. Harvey Weinstein is in jail, but his corrosive influence remains.
The studios did not counter the Writer’s proposal and still haven’t agreed to resume negotiating.
Dwayne Johnson set the pace, but other actors have donated funds to support artists who need it as evidenced here and here.
Netflix has gained subscribers thanks to the password sharing crackdown, so they’re not hurting but somehow they want us to believe it’s the actors and writers who are greedy.
The Teamsters got a deal done about a week before they were set to strike because the studios need them for replacement programming, the solution for the networks this fall will be reality shows and importing scripted content from streaming services.
Lastly, for now, consider the contrasting stories of residuals. Payments for streaming performance over time have become heinously low for actors, once it was possible to make a living from them..
The Movie Rat 