The recent decision for SAG-AFTRA to strike came as a result of failed negotiations with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), resulting in – coupled with the ongoing WGA strike– a potentially industry-crippling halt. So what were the issues at hand and how did the negotiations fail? According to a recent release from SAG-AFTRA, it came down to their feeling that “those in charge of multibillion-dollar media conglomerates are rewarded for exploiting workers.”
Here are some of the issues that came up in the negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP:
SAG-AFTRA asked for an 11% wage increase, while AMPTP pushed for 5%, although the union says there would be “a significant pay cut due to inflation and it is likely you would still be working for less than your 2020 wages in 2026.”
SAG-AFTRA wanted consent and transparency over the use of AI and “digital replicas”, while the AMPTP – as previously reported – wanted seemingly free use of an actor’s likeness without consent or future monetary compensation.
The AMPTP also refused to go along with SAG-AFTRA’s proposal that took into account residuals as they relate to streaming services.
The AMPTP also apparently refused to raise the contribution caps on health care to the level that SAG-AFTRA demanded. They have not been raised in four decades.
SAG-AFTRA requested that all performers – particularly those of color, in the name of equity – have sufficient hair and makeup professionals and tools available, with AMPTP agreeing to terms for principal casts but not background actors.
As per the release, “After we agreed to their compressed bargaining schedule, the AMPTP subjected us to repeated stonewalling and delay. It took more than four weeks of bargaining for the AMPTP to agree to simple basic issues of fairness and respect…” However, according to AMPTP, “Not only does its press release deliberately distort the offers made by AMPTP, it also fails to include the proposals offered verbally to SAG-AFTRA leadership on July 12…”
Considering the scope and scale of the stipulations put forth by SAG-AFTRA and the evident blocking by the AMPTP at nearly every corner, it looks like movie and TV fans might be in this one for quite some time. Numerous productions, including Deadpool 3, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two and more, have shut down.
What do you think of the topics at the forefront of the SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP negotiations? Who will ultimately suffer as a result of the strike? Give us your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.