Actors Union Says Studio Proposal Offers Too Little

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=a4_Pa18Md7nU&refer=home

By Michael White

July 17 (Bloomberg) -- Hollywood's largest actors union said it can't accept studios' proposed labor contract because it doesn't ensure union jurisdiction over new media, signaling an impasse between the two groups.

Studios have refused to guarantee pay for repeat showings of programs created for the Internet or to use union actors for lower-budget productions, the Screen Actors Guild said today in a statement on its Web site. The studios' negotiating group said the guild's position ensures actors will work ``indefinitely'' under the old contract, which allows non-union Web productions.

The two sides haven't held formal talks since June 30, when the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers made a ``final offer'' based on prior accords with directors, writers and a smaller actors union. The alliance has refused union requests to continue talks. The guild has rebuffed the studios' call that members be allowed to vote on the deal.

``We have entered a stalemate,'' said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment attorney with TroyGould in Los Angeles. ``These dueling statements are both very hard-line -- no evidence of compromise.''

The guild said it can't accept the offer because the digital media landscape ``has dramatically shifted'' in the six months since directors signed a new labor agreement. Media companies have signed many accords to sell content on the Web, Doug Allen, the union's chief negotiator, said in the statement.

FULL story at link.

[qazplm]

1. ugh

more reality tv is coming. LOTS more.

Thank goodness football and basketball are coming up soon, and there is still the election to keep things interesting.