Will The Actors Strike?

The deadline is looming.

The contract between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) runs out June 30. Negotiations are continuing, but it is unclear whether a deal will be reached before the deadline. SAG's national executive director Doug Allen stated in an e-mail that the guild would like to reach an agreement soon, but they are prepared to extend the negotiations into July. The actors have not yet called for a strike-authorization vote, which would require a 75% majority to pass. An authorization vote, however, would not guarantee an immediate work stoppage.

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), who have bargained jointly with SAG for 27 years, suspended that agreement and negotiated with the producers on its own. AFTRA reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP on May 28, and the results of the ratification vote are due on July 9. SAG has put pressure on AFTRA, and even if the deal is ratified, there are questions about whether AFTRA actors would work during a SAG strike.

Some television series, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: New York and New York's lead in Criminal Minds, will have episodes filmed by the time the SAG contract runs out. Other popular series, including CSI: Miami and CSI's competitor Grey's Anatomy, will not have any finished episodes in the can in case of a work stoppage. The networks might push the start of the fall season back if the actors go on strike.

The original articles are from The Hollywood Reporter and can be found here and here.

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