2008 Screen Actors Guild strike
Encyclopedia
The Screen Actors Guild labor dispute of 2008-2009 is an ongoing labor dispute that could lead to a strike by the Screen Actors Guild
, the American labor union representing actors in the film industry. The anticipated strike would be against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
(AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film producers, production companies, and movie studios. A strike could stem from the handling of royalties from the sale of films distributed through new media
methods. This includes royalties earned from Internet distribution services such as iTunes
, as well as DVD sales, neither of which are currently written into actors' contracts. The SAG contract expired on June 30, 2008 with the two sides still far from mutually agreeable terms. The strike has been delayed several times due to the poor US economy.
voted to renew their deal with the AMPTP; SAG opposed that deal due to the quasi-competitive nature of the two unions. Since July 16, both sides have negotiated only sporadically, with SAG members continuing to work on television and movies under the terms of the expired contract. On November 22, 2008, the union's negotiating committee announced it was unable to come to an agreement with the AMPTP in a session with federal mediation
, and has asked for a strike authorization vote.
The Screen Actors Guild says it will send strike authorization ballots to its 120,000 members on January 2, 2009. The votes will be counted on January 23, which will not be in time to potentially disrupt the Golden Globe Awards like the writers' strike did last year. Approval by 75 percent of members is required to pass the measure. If approved, the SAG national board can call a strike. Guild President Alan Rosenberg
said in a statement that the future of professional actors is at stake. SAG remains at odds with Hollywood studios over treatment of Internet productions and actor benefits in the event of unplanned work stoppages. The timing of the SAG strike-authorization vote may aid its passage.
As of December 9, the Screen Actors Guild has not yet called a strike.
Some shows may be affected by a possible upcoming strike.
The Screen Actors Guild has delayed the strike authorization vote for after a meeting on January 12, 2009, pushing back the timeline by no more than two weeks.
The Screen Actors Guild is at this moment planning to stop Doug Allen
and Alan Rosenberg from authorizing a strike vote.
The Screen Actors Guild is holding an emergency meeting on the situation.
Doug Allen may be ousted from the Screen Actors Guild.
SAG President Alan Rosenberg has backed off from authorizing a strike vote and is beginning a vote on the latest contract offer from the AMPTP.
On January 23, 2009 the Actors Union lost support for a strike vote. Though the SAG hasn't officially revoked the call for a strike, the walkout chances are now slim.
The SAG has moderated a file document that puts Doug Allen out of business.
It's official. Doug Allen has been fired from the Screen Actors Guild.
The SAG, the AMPTP and the Hollywood Studios have agreed to a meeting in Los Angeles next week.
The meeting between the SAG and the AMPTP has been delayed because Alan Rosenberg is threatening to reinstate Doug Allen.
An attempt to reinstate Doug Allen has been blocked.
The ouster who got Doug Allen fired has returned to the SAG agenda.
An attempt to reinstate Doug Allen has been denied a second time.
The SAG is ready to resume talks with the AMPTP.
It's official. Doug Allen has been fired from the Screen Actors Guild for the second time. Talks between the SAG and the AMPTP are expected to resume on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.
The SAG and AMPTP are ready to resume negotiations.
Alan Rosenberg's special appeal to halt negotiations between the SAG and the AMPTP has been denied.
The SAG and AMPTP are to resume negotiations this Tuesday at Sherman Oaks.
Talks between the SAG and AMPTP are finally underway.
No resolution between the SAG and AMPTP has been reached, but the two sides have agreed to meet Thursday at 1:00PM Eastern/12:00PM Central.
Talks between the SAG and the AMPTP have once again hit a real snag.
The Screen Actors Guild has rejected the latest contract offer.
The SAG and the AMPTP need a third party to pass out the olive branches.
A divided SAG board is urging leaders to send the final contract offer from movie and television producers to SAG members for a vote.
The SAG and the AMPTP have reached a tentative deal.
The SAG board approved the deal by a 53% vote.
The Screen Actors Guild has approved a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
and Russell Crowe
.
in case of a strike. Because the unions involved represent many working film actors in America, industry leaders agree that if the strike does occur, film production (including scripted television programming) would be at a veritable standstill. Therefore, production companies are preparing for the strike by accelerating production of films and television episodes to stockpile enough material to continue regular film releases and TV schedules during the strike period. However, some Hollywood studios, such as The Jim Henson Company, are not affected by the strike, due to the terms of their contracts. Also some shows such as reality shows like The Amazing Race
and soap operas General Hospital
and The Young and The Restless
, and regular shows like 90210
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, all shows on Nickelodeon including SpongeBob SquarePants
, Victorious
and iCarly
, all shows on Comedy Central including South Park
and The Daily Show
are also not affected. This is possibly due to the fact that the actors associated with those shows belong to AFTRA, a union that indirectly (or involuntarily) competes with SAG.
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
, the American labor union representing actors in the film industry. The anticipated strike would be against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is a trade association based in Encino, California that represents over 350 American film production companies and studios in negotiations with entertainment industry trade unions in collective bargaining...
(AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film producers, production companies, and movie studios. A strike could stem from the handling of royalties from the sale of films distributed through new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
methods. This includes royalties earned from Internet distribution services such as iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, as well as DVD sales, neither of which are currently written into actors' contracts. The SAG contract expired on June 30, 2008 with the two sides still far from mutually agreeable terms. The strike has been delayed several times due to the poor US economy.
SAG works without new contract: July 2008 - ballots/strike date
The strike date was originally set for July 2008, due to its coinciding with the expiration of contracts between the labor union and the AMPTP. Regardless, talks continued until July 16, and members of the American Federation of Television and Radio ArtistsAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is a performers' union that represents a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists , promo and voice-over announcers and other...
voted to renew their deal with the AMPTP; SAG opposed that deal due to the quasi-competitive nature of the two unions. Since July 16, both sides have negotiated only sporadically, with SAG members continuing to work on television and movies under the terms of the expired contract. On November 22, 2008, the union's negotiating committee announced it was unable to come to an agreement with the AMPTP in a session with federal mediation
Mediation
Mediation, as used in law, is a form of alternative dispute resolution , a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. A third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate their own settlement...
, and has asked for a strike authorization vote.
The Screen Actors Guild says it will send strike authorization ballots to its 120,000 members on January 2, 2009. The votes will be counted on January 23, which will not be in time to potentially disrupt the Golden Globe Awards like the writers' strike did last year. Approval by 75 percent of members is required to pass the measure. If approved, the SAG national board can call a strike. Guild President Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg is an American actor of both stage and screen. From 2005 to 2009, he was president of the Screen Actors Guild, the principal motion picture industry on-screen performers' union.-Early life:...
said in a statement that the future of professional actors is at stake. SAG remains at odds with Hollywood studios over treatment of Internet productions and actor benefits in the event of unplanned work stoppages. The timing of the SAG strike-authorization vote may aid its passage.
As of December 9, the Screen Actors Guild has not yet called a strike.
Some shows may be affected by a possible upcoming strike.
The Screen Actors Guild has delayed the strike authorization vote for after a meeting on January 12, 2009, pushing back the timeline by no more than two weeks.
The Screen Actors Guild is at this moment planning to stop Doug Allen
Doug Allen
Doug Allen is an American underground cartoonist, illustrator, and musician. Best known for his long-running comic strip Steven, Allen has over the years collaborated with long-time friend Gary Leib on music, animation, fine art, and comics, including the two-man Fantagraphics anthology...
and Alan Rosenberg from authorizing a strike vote.
The Screen Actors Guild is holding an emergency meeting on the situation.
Doug Allen may be ousted from the Screen Actors Guild.
SAG President Alan Rosenberg has backed off from authorizing a strike vote and is beginning a vote on the latest contract offer from the AMPTP.
On January 23, 2009 the Actors Union lost support for a strike vote. Though the SAG hasn't officially revoked the call for a strike, the walkout chances are now slim.
The SAG has moderated a file document that puts Doug Allen out of business.
It's official. Doug Allen has been fired from the Screen Actors Guild.
The SAG, the AMPTP and the Hollywood Studios have agreed to a meeting in Los Angeles next week.
The meeting between the SAG and the AMPTP has been delayed because Alan Rosenberg is threatening to reinstate Doug Allen.
An attempt to reinstate Doug Allen has been blocked.
The ouster who got Doug Allen fired has returned to the SAG agenda.
An attempt to reinstate Doug Allen has been denied a second time.
The SAG is ready to resume talks with the AMPTP.
It's official. Doug Allen has been fired from the Screen Actors Guild for the second time. Talks between the SAG and the AMPTP are expected to resume on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.
The SAG and AMPTP are ready to resume negotiations.
Alan Rosenberg's special appeal to halt negotiations between the SAG and the AMPTP has been denied.
The SAG and AMPTP are to resume negotiations this Tuesday at Sherman Oaks.
Talks between the SAG and AMPTP are finally underway.
No resolution between the SAG and AMPTP has been reached, but the two sides have agreed to meet Thursday at 1:00PM Eastern/12:00PM Central.
Talks between the SAG and the AMPTP have once again hit a real snag.
The Screen Actors Guild has rejected the latest contract offer.
The SAG and the AMPTP need a third party to pass out the olive branches.
A divided SAG board is urging leaders to send the final contract offer from movie and television producers to SAG members for a vote.
The SAG and the AMPTP have reached a tentative deal.
The SAG board approved the deal by a 53% vote.
The Screen Actors Guild has approved a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Resistance to strike
The Screen Actors Guild's New York board, which split with the union's national leadership, urged members to oppose the strike because of the worsening U.S. economy. A faction of the Screen Actors Guild wants the strike vote suspended indefinitely because of the economic crisis. Over 100 actors have written a letter of protest to the Screen Actors Guild about the likely strike vote. The Screen Actors Guild called a meeting on the New York board split on December 19, 2008. Among the actors joining the strike resistance are Robert RedfordRobert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
and Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
.
Effect on film industry and independent film
Gradually, TV studios are shifting from the Screen Actors Guild to the American Federation of Television and Radio ArtistsAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is a performers' union that represents a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists , promo and voice-over announcers and other...
in case of a strike. Because the unions involved represent many working film actors in America, industry leaders agree that if the strike does occur, film production (including scripted television programming) would be at a veritable standstill. Therefore, production companies are preparing for the strike by accelerating production of films and television episodes to stockpile enough material to continue regular film releases and TV schedules during the strike period. However, some Hollywood studios, such as The Jim Henson Company, are not affected by the strike, due to the terms of their contracts. Also some shows such as reality shows like The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
and soap operas General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
and The Young and The Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
, and regular shows like 90210
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, all shows on Nickelodeon including SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, Victorious
Victorious
Victorious is an American sitcom created by Dan Schneider for Nickelodeon. The series revolves around aspiring singer Tori Vega , a teenager who attends a performing arts high school called Hollywood Arts High School, after taking her older sister Trina's place in a showcase while getting into...
and iCarly
ICarly
iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
, all shows on Comedy Central including South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
and The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
are also not affected. This is possibly due to the fact that the actors associated with those shows belong to AFTRA, a union that indirectly (or involuntarily) competes with SAG.