SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood Studios Square Off in High-Stakes Bargaining Showdown

Back at the bargaining table for the first time in over two and a half months, SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios and streamers are locked in negotiations, buoyed somewhat by the recent resolution of the writers' strike. However, optimism remains cautious, with many acknowledging that there still is a significant journey to a potential agreement.

The 160,000 strong actors union, SAG-AFTRA, has been on strike since July 14, affecting studio gates and headquarters alike. This came in the wake of the Writers Guild of America's strike which commenced on May 2. On this front, some relief was found when producers and the Writers Guild reached a tentative agreement on September 24. This achievement enabled the handling of hitherto intractable issues such as AI protections and data transparency.

For the ongoing SAG-AFTRA negotiations, Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers' Carol Lombardini will be joined by top executives from NBCUniversal, Warner Bros Discovery, Netflix and Disney, facing off against the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee led by the recently re-elected President Fran Drescher. Scheduled to meet at the SAG-AFTRA offices on Wilshire's Miracle Mile, this will be the official dialogue since the initiation of the SAG-AFTRA strike 80 days ago.

These negotiations commence parallel to the Writers Guild of America's voting on the ratification of its new agreement, a process expected to pass and cement a new contract effective September 25, 2023, through May 1, 2026. For SAG-AFTRA, unless a new end date is agreed upon, their new contract will take effect only upon striking a deal, potentially in effect till June 30, 2026.

Despite the cessation of the WGA strike, many writers still rallied on the picket lines alongside the members of SAG-AFTRA, their withdrawal dependent on the progress of these fresh talks.

So, the curtains have risen. The actors' guild embarks on a new act with the AMPTP. A battleground that's not new to them, but this time, the stakes are higher, and the audience, a little more empathetic - having survived a 'writers-dropped-the-pen' saga themselves.

And let's break this down for the folks in the balcony. The much-spoken 'big issues' for guild leaders? Real increases in wages, the concept of virtual auditions, and my personal favorite, revenue sharing. Yes, the guild aims for a piece of the proliferation online pie, about 2%, that a show on streaming platforms generates. They argue for performers to share in the success of high-performing shows. Dynamic? Sure. Practical? The prodigal jury is out with its verdict.

Perhaps one could argue that the movie and television industry should take a leaf out of the sports industry book - after all, NBA, MLB, and NFL have struck gold with revenue sharing. However, it might be a Herculean task convincing Hollywood that the stage is much like the field. Their business models have differences more than mere nuances.

Yet, much like any good drama, the weight of this story lies in its subtext. Mandatory mention here, last week saw SAG-AFTRA authorize a unanimous strike proposal against the video game industry. The contention? Exploitative uses AI and stagnant wages. And, as they say, when it rains in Hollywood, it pours.

So, here we are, tuned into another gripping episode of 'Hollywood v/s Unions'. Much like a film on repeat, it's a cycle, an enduring tussle, rooted in the very DNA of the industry. The script has been attributed to the writers, now the cast and crew await their turn. Awaiting a blockbuster ending to their fight that may, yet, set precedence for their peers - the video game industry.

In its raw essence, it is the classic, albeit cliched, narrative of the mighty felled, or rather pushed, by popular demand. It is 'David v/s Goliath' with actors pushing away scripts, and flexing their union's might. Lights. Camera. Strike. Who said Hollywood was ever short of narratives?