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Renewed talks between the SAG-AFTRA actors union and the
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) came
eight days after the producers clinched a separate contract deal
with Hollywood writers, who launched their own strike on May 2,
about 10 weeks before the actors.
"SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for a full day bargaining session
and have concluded," the two sides said in a joint statement at
the end of the day. It said negotiations would resume on
Wednesday.
No further details were immediately available. Both sides agreed
to observe a news "blackout" during their talks.
The tentative accord reached Sept. 24 between the producers and
the 11,500-member Writers Guild of America not only paved the
way for ending their labor dispute three days later, it could
serve as a template for settling the actors strike.
SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood's largest union, representing 160,000
television and film performers, walked off the job on July 14
demanding higher base wages and residual pay from streaming TV
as well as restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence
(AI) in entertainment.
The same issues were at the center of the writers strike.
In the area of artificial intelligence, actors want to protect
their images and work from being replaced by computer-generated
"digital replicas."
At the same time, they are seeking compensation that reflects
the value they bring to the relatively new frontier of
streaming, specifically in the form of revenue sharing.
Other demands from actors include limits on self-taped auditions
used in casting, which they argue are more costly to them than
in-person readings. They also demanding assurances of greater
racial equity on the set, including provision of hair and makeup
artists capable of working with varied hair textures and skin
tones.
The resumption of contract talks between the actors and studios
also coincided with network television's late-night hosts -
Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel -
bringing their shows back to television on Monday. Comedian John
Oliver returned to HBO's "Last Week Tonight" on Sunday.
(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles.
Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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