Once the WGA and the AMPTP reached a deal, it was easy to imagine that it would be smooth sailing — that SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP would resume talks and all the striking would be over in time for everybody to still plan Halloween costumes. Well, not so much. SAG and the AMPTP’s talks are no longer in session. On October 11, the AMPTP walked away from the bargaining room, and both sides have released statements about how the other side conducted negotiations.
According to SAG-AFTRA in a statement posted online on October 11, the AMPTP was an entirely unhelpful negotiating body. “It is with profound disappointment that we report the industry CEOs have walked away from the bargaining table after refusing to counter our latest offer,” the organization wrote on social media. “We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began.” The organization went on to call some of the AMPTP’s claims regarding the current state of negotiations inaccurate or incomplete. SAG-AFTRA claims that the AMPTP “intentionally misrepresented to the press the cost of the above proposal — overstating it by 60%.”
In the AMPTP’s statement, SAG’s demands were deemed unrealistic. “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,” the AMPTP wrote. “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.” The AMPTP’s offers included wage increases and a plan for residuals, meeting the union’s demands regarding self-tape auditions, and requiring the consent of the performer concerning AI — which SAG sees as a useless proposal since the performer’s hand would be forced. So where do we go from here? Nobody can know for sure, but hopefully it’s back to the negotiating table — and soon.