SAG, Studios End Talks Without Deal
AMPTP, AFTRA to begin negotiations on Wednesday
By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/6/2008 9:36:00 PM
The Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have broken off talks without reaching a deal. The AMPTP will open negotiations with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Wednesday.
Each side blamed the other for the impasse.
“In the end,” the AMPTP said in a statement, “this round of SAG negotiations ended without an agreement because SAG simply refused to recognize the fundamental business and labor principles that have already been accepted by directors, writers and producers.”
In a statement, SAG claimed the producers moved to suspend talks "over the objections of SAG's negotiating committee," which was willing to "negotiate around the clock if necessary in order to secure an agreement."
AFTRA had twice delayed the start of its talks with the AMPTP to allow the companies to continue talks with SAG, but said on Tuesday it was going to begin its negotiations on Wednesday.
The SAG-AMPTP deal ends June 30.
