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Hollywood Studios Extend Offer in Bid to End 113-Day Actors' Strike
Hollywood's major studios have extended an offer to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) in hopes of resolving the ongoing 113-day actors' strike, as per the reports.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers had previously warned the actors' union that if a settlement was not reached by the end of this week, it could lead to the cancellation of some TV shows and more delays in the release of summer theater productions in 2024.
After more than a week of absence from the bargaining table, the CEOs of four major studios—Warner Bros Discovery, NBC Universal, Disney, and Netflix—are expected to rejoin the negotiations.
Union president Fran Drescher expressed optimism in an Instagram message, hoping that the studios' response would bring a resolution. She stated, "Let's hope the AMPTP CEOs re-emerge with a counteroffer to seal the deal."
It's worth noting that the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) has not conveyed to the union that their counteroffer will be a "last, best, and final" offer, a term often used in labor negotiations to indicate that the employer will make no further significant concessions. However, since SAG-AFTRA is already on strike, they could choose to reject such an offer and continue the strike.
Although the studios have not explicitly labeled their recent offer as "last, best, and final," they have indicated that it is intended to conclude the negotiations. SAG-AFTRA will likely carefully consider this proposal before responding.
The union has been emphasizing the importance of certain elements, particularly AI, which they see as crucial for actors. On the other hand, the studios have raised concerns that the actors are introducing more and more AI scenarios without reaching a mutual agreement. The negotiation process has also encompassed over a dozen other issues, which will be addressed in SAG-AFTRA's counteroffer on Saturday, as per reports.
- PTC PUNJABI
