With less than a week to go before the union’s TV/theatrical contract package expires, SAG-AFTRA leaders assure members that their negotiations with studios and streamers have been “extremely productive”.
In a video message sent to the union’s 160,000 affected members on Saturday, union president Fran Drescher and national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said talks were “laser focused on all the critical issues you told us are most important” . important to you.” Drescher said in the update that “we are standing strong and are going to close a groundbreaking deal.” SAG-AFTRA’s current TV/theatrical contracts expire on June 30.
SAG-AFTRA has been negotiating since June 10 with the Alliance of Film and Television Producers, which represents studios and streamers in labor negotiations. With only three weeks and two days to close a deal (except for a scenario where both parties decide to cancel their current contracts), and with the industry’s writers still on extended strikes, the pressure on labor and management has increased to to come together.
Recognizing that both sides have a “very limited time frame”, Crabtree-Ireland said: “We have all worked long and hard to move these talks forward and we remain optimistic that we will be able to bring the studios, networks and streamers along make a fair deal that respects your contributions to this industry.
The video seemingly attempted to allay concerns that SAG-AFTRA is definitely headed for a strike, even after nearly 98 percent of voting members approved a potential work stoppage ahead of negotiations.
“We will keep you updated as events progress and until then unity, solidarity and strength,” Drescher said, fist raised.
More to come.
