SAG-AFTRA has concluded its first week of contract talks with the major Hollywood studios, but both parties are keeping quiet about their progress at the bargaining table.
Deadline understands that the actors union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers finished up Friday’s session by early afternoon. They’ll return to the table next week.
Both the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA declined to comment, as expected given the media blackout the two parties agreed to at the start of negotiations.
A media blackout doesn’t guarantee that details won’t emerge. However, silence in the first week likely signals a positive start as both parties presented their initial proposals. This is pretty expected, given that Deadline also hears the two groups have been communicating informally for several months to signal priorities and prime the pump ahead of time.
Since sitting down together on February 9, the guild and the now Greg Hessinger-led AMPTP spent the first day on so-called opening statements. The rest of the week saw everyone flexing a bit as expected at the beginning of such talks and refining their proposals based on what the other side of the table put forth. Next week will be when the serious bargaining begins.
As we previously reported, health and pension plans are the biggest priority for all three guilds in this bargaining cycle. The DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA plans have all operated in deficits the last few years to cover rising healthcare and essential living costs amid a dramatic decrease in employment. In return, the AMPTP may be seeking to get the unions to agree to longer contracts, as Deadline exclusively reported last month.
However, newly elected SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin told Deadline last month that he was hesitant to elevate any specific problem above the rest.
It’s a tough and turbulent time in the industry, which is rapidly evolving. We expect both AI and residuals to be part of the conversation again as well, as SAG-AFTRA will be hoping to build upon the foundational artificial intelligence protections it secured in the 2023 contract and increase its streaming residual payouts.
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said last month that he was “certainly not going to rule out a strike” this go-round, though he believes “there should need to be a strike because these companies should come to the table in good faith, as we are.”
“I want to be crystal clear: We are not going to accept a deal that is not fair to our members,” he said onstage at CES.
SAG-AFTRA’s current contract expires June 30. The Writers Guild of America East and West are expected to begin negotiating on March 6, followed by the Directors Guild in May, so the actors union has about a month to make a deal. Otherwise, they’ll circle back to the table after the WGA and DGA.
Speaking of the other unions, WGA has been quiet so far on its sister union’s negotiations, but the DGA weighed on Monday to wish SAG-AFTRA well.
the DGA issues a statement of support for its sister guild Monday.
“The Directors Guild of America stands in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA as they begin negotiations with the AMPTP,” the guild said in a statement via a spokesperson. “Directors, directorial teams, performers, and all creative workers share a common goal to secure fair compensation, world class retirement and health benefits, meaningful workplace protections, sustainable careers, and a future in which all our contributions are respected and valued. We are committed to standing with SAG-AFTRA in their fight for a fair contract that recognizes its members incredible contributions to the entertainment industry.”
Dominic Patten contributed to this report.