According to The Hollywood Reporter, SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood Studios have made a decision to return to negotiations on Tuesday. The groups had stopped bargaining on October 11th due to the gap between both sides being too big. However, as of October 21st, both sides have agreed to return to negotiations on October 24th at SAG-AFTRA plaza.
SAG-AFTRA represents “approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals,” says the official website for the group. The group “brings together two great America labor unions: Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.”
SAG-AFTRA and the industry experienced disagreements over a revenue-sharing proposal from SAG-AFTRA. The Hollywood Reporter documented that SAG-AFTRA requested two percent of revenue generated by certain titles. After being rejected by AMPTP, they came back on October 11th asking for a set fee per subscriber. From there, the funds would be divided up between actors.
Aside from money, The Hollywood Reporter said that there were other issues beyond money. For instance, SAG-AFTRA felt unsatisfied by the protection against AI that they were being offered. The sides also could not find common ground in wage increases, with SAG-AFTRA seeking 11 percent increase. They were only offered up to 5 percent, though.
However, the Hollywood industry is impatiently trying to get negotiations settled because the writers strike has officially hit 100 days. This leaves many companies unsatisfied knowing that discussions will be continued on Tuesday, says The Hollywood Reporter.
The Hollywood Reporter added in that George Clooney, at a Roybal School of Film and Television Production Magnet event, asked for talks to continue and expressed worry over the lack of agreement. The magazine reports that he said, “At least get in the room. Don’t take a vacation.”