Finally, Actors and Studios reach tentative labor deal

A December 2008 protest against a possible SAG strike.

Credit: AP Photo/Hector Mata)

Following almost 12 months of bitter contract negotiations, two different chief negotiators, and internal and public squabbling, the Screen Actor's Guild has reached a tentative 2-year agreement with the major Hollywood studios.  SAG had been working without a contract for nine months while both the Writer's Guild and Director's Guild settled in the first quarter of 2008.

Both parties issued the following statement today:

"The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and Screen Actors Guild today announced that the parties have reached tentative agreement on successor agreements to the Producer-Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement.

Details of the agreement covering television programs and motion pictures will not be disclosed prior to review by the SAG national board of directors this Sunday, April 19, at a previously scheduled board meeting via videoconference in Los Angeles and New York.

Screen Actors Guild will present the tentative agreement to the Screen Actors Guild board of directors for approval and referral to the membership for ratification."

According to the Los Angeles Times, however, this deal isn't that different than the one the studios presented originally.  What was gained by holding out for so long is sure to be debated among the acting community for some time. 

The paper reports a breakthrough was reached after weeks of back-channel talks between SAG executive Director David White and moderate studios executives including Warner Bros. chairman Barry Meyer and Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger. 

One concession the studios made was to cut the term of the deal from three to two years.  Now, the industry will go through this all over again in 2011. 

More details on the contract and this story as warranted on HitFix.