AMPTP Makes Final Offer to SAG

The AMPTP just made a final offer to SAG. I'm advised by a AMPTP spokesman that this offer tracks the AFTRA and DGA/WGA deals in terms of minimums, new media, and other provisions. On force majeure (an actors-only issue), the AMPTP offer holds to the AMPTP's previous position that the existing contract language should be revised.

The AMPTP spokesman confirms that this is a "last, best, and final offer" in legal terms. Such an offer would allow the AMPTP to impose the offer's terms once the SAG agreement expires tonight. However, as the AMPTP press release says, "As SAG's leadership considers our final offer, we will continue for now to work under the terms of the old contract as current productions wind down."

The AMPTP has offered to meet with SAG on Wednesday afternoon to explain the offer, but states that it will not entertain counter-offers.

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Comments

[MrsWakely]

Mr. Handel speaks as an entertainment lawyer with leanings towards the AMPTP (producers). Here's what is really going on. It has become clear through accurate reporting deadlinehollywood.comm) that AFTRA colluded with the AMPTP to undercut SAG with an inferior contract that does not secure protections for where the business id going:
All product will be streamed via internet addresses. Therefore, SAG needs:
1. A fair percentage of all new media original programming and reuse (residuals).
2. Jurisdiction for all new media production

[MrsWakely]

As any "middle class actor" can tell you, the producers have slowly been reducing our wages and protections for years. The WGA strike has the business strained and still recovering, but it has now become clear that the AMPTP is actively trying to reboot the entire business model for paying actors. As the largest and most powerful union in Hollywood, SAG has been remarkably restrained so far in it's efforts to reach a fair deal. But now that the facts of the AFTRA/AMPTP collusion are beginning to come out, and the scorched earth approach of the AMPTP negotiators is coming into focus (yes, they really
DO want to break SAG), the SAG membership is slowly rumbling to life. SAG will strike if necessary. SAG will negotiate directly with internet companies to make product, end-running the Hollywood producers (AMPTP), SAG will shut down the business as AMPTP shareholders learn that what SAG wants is entirely fair, reasonable and long overdue. This is actually a very simple labor problem: the AMPTP wants to break the union (SAG). SAG won't let that happen. The ball is in your court AMPTP.

[MrsWakely]

The stars will continue to bargain separately, via their agents for top dollar, up front, and back end. The rest of us are being squeezed out of business. The fights between SAG and AFTRA, caused by AFTRA's blatant collusion with the AMPTP to undercut SAG, are beginning to give way towards the realization that the producers are making a serious play to break SAG. That means there WILL be the real possibility of another strike, this time by SAG, the largest and most powerful union in Hollywood. If it happens, it will be the result of the behind the scenes machinations of the producers. Get ready folks. SAG doesn't give a shit about the AMPTP's "last best offer." They gave the WGA 10 "last best offers," before they settled. If the AMPTP wants to get ugly, it will get ugly. Try making product with no actors. Watch your shareholders start to AMPTP entirely. It's up to you AMPTP. SAG wants a reasonable percentage of new media, and a handful of entirely fair, long overdue, other gains. The ball is in your court.

[letstakeawalk]

All I can say is "Screw the distributed media!" I'm going to the theater, and I'm not going to watch TV or go the movies ever again. It's become obvious that the SAG and the writer's guild are all about the money, because they sure haven't been coming up with any original ideas. I might even take up reading again, so there.

[protagonia]

So you're never EVER gonna go to a movie again? Jeepers lil' Mr Black And White, you run'n away from home too?

We should blame the artists for what the producers (AMPTP) command them to make?

SAG and the WGA were bad at negotiating better deals for the artists. The artists deserved more.

Some people disagree. But then again, some people hate art, and expect it to be made for them for free. That's because they live miserable lives and blame thise who have figured out how to improve on that.

Jealousy will most certainly rear it's ugly head while people fight to keep doing the thing they love for a living. Did you think that somehow you wouldn't come off appearing like that?

Not everyone gets a shot at doing a job they love, but to play the "I do a normal job, so I'm better" routine, stinks of petulant adolescence.

So, just for the record - Keep on walking because someone like you will not be missed in that movie theater.

"Take up reading again?" You mean you quit?

Run Forrest, run!

So there.