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Regarding the entertainment industry negotiations, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the following statement today:
“The recent work stoppage within the entertainment industry cost the Los Angeles economy $2.5 billion and caused personal hardship for thousands of Angelenos. As the national economy continues to weaken, there is little doubt that another work stoppage within the industry would have devastating economic effects. During the past week, I have been in communication with SAG, AFTRA, IATSE and studio representatives. I have listened carefully and asked all parties to get to the bargaining table immediately to engage in meaningful negotiations. I urge all involved to get the deals done expeditiously. We must keep this town working, and avoid devastating effects on the workers, businesses, residents and economy of this great City.”
AFTRA released this statement:
“AFTRA has long favored starting negotiations for the primetime TV contract as soon as possible, and we appreciate the Mayor’s support.”
The AMPTP responded soon after:
“We have always wanted to begin negotiations as soon as possible, and we remain committed to starting negotiations immediately. Actors and producers alike have an obligation to work as hard as we can, as soon as we can, to prevent another unnecessary, harmful strike.”
So that means Big media CEOs are cutting Nick Counter out of the process, right?
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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God, I love this town. Has anyone heard from Arnold, or Barbara, or Diane? I love this hand wringing. But I think that our mayor has it all wrong. Think of all the money will make on late tax payments, the banks will make more money on the credit card debt that was rung up. C’mon, SAG, bring it on! Strike for months, then settle just in time so you won’t miss a fucking awards show.
SAG’s president Alan Rosenberg has said numerous times during the writers strike “Nobody wants a strike.” He even said it on my podcast. He’s right. Nobody wants a strike. But hey, you know, money doesn’t grow on trees either.
As for my two cents, if a select group of five companies bear the fiscal well being of a city supposedly full of problem-solvers and creators, then we’ve been negligent and lazy. While it’s only a facet of my perspective, on some levels this whole labor dispute strikes me like a bunch of adults living with their parents, begging Mummy and Daddy to stop fighting. How much more are we going to disempower ourselves?
As for the city, we’ve built our fortunes on the backs of mundane ideas. Hollow growth means collapse. Better now than later, when our financial health is even more over-extended and unsupported. Let’s not treat the symptoms of disease, let’s start promoting actual, bona-fide health.
Villaraigosa is as ignorant about the inner workings of the industry as any politico from Washington. Does he even understand what the heck is at stake? Why doesn’t he pressure the AMPTP to stop with the strong-arming and pre-emptively offer SAG a decent deal? THAT would show real leadership. Or is he too busy chasing National exposure?
Earth to Julius. From what I know about the previous strike, the AMPTP wanted the Oscars, but the WGA kept striking and held them hostage in order to force an agreement. Missing both the Golden Globes and People’s Choice awards was what lead to the agreement. If the WGA knew about this in advance, the strike could have started later and ended sooner. For the record, I expect the SAG to have about the same tatic as the WGA in which they will hold the Primetime Emmys hostage with a strike date of August 25 which means the DNC convention and strike will most likely begin on the same day. To that effect, you might as well cancel the season finales and force production to continue until the strike deadline for TV while shutdown of movie filming starts now.
“Villaraigosa is as ignorant about the inner workings of the industry as any politico from Washington. Does he even understand what the heck is at stake?”
Ummm, yes. He realizes that what’s at stake are literally millions of below the line jobs for people who desperately need the money to live. All at risk so first writers and now actors can try to get enough cash to buy a second house. I’m tired of these union members adopting evil Republican like stances masquerading as a fight for the people. It’s disgusting.
True, jesus. I guess when I and all my friends went on strike knowing we would lose a lot of money by it, we just imagined the whole thing! Wow, we actually profited by this, and enough for a second house! Let me get my accountant on the line and set him straight. He can call you to find out where the missing money is, right, jesus?
Nobody ever went on strike to benefit others, or for the sake of ideals. Everybody’s just as cynical and self-interested as you. Thanks for setting me straight.
Now give me back the money I lost — since according to you, I should have it.
And having said that: what’s really disgusting is the wedge some people try to put between those of us who ought to be working together.
SAG members should just stick to waiting tables and bagging groceries. It’s what they do best…
Jesse S, I truly wish the situation was as simple as you present.
The WGA strike was settled for several reasons, and not simply because of the Oscars. (Although this was an undoubtedly large concern) Another major factor was the health insurance fiasco that loomed as of April 1 and July 1 for the WGA members whose coverage would have run out, and for whom the clock did not stop as they had been promised. And there is also the simple fact that both the networks and the writer/producers wanted to save what they could of the TV season.
With the end of the WGA strike, multiple TV series jumped back into production, in many cases being compelled to film with multiple units to bring in as many as 7 new episodes before the end of the season. I have currently been hired to work on one such series due to the overflow, while I wait for my own series to start back up in May.
You are correct to note that several shows are starting their new seasons early and banking new episodes for the fall just in case anything unfortunate happens in June.
But it’s actually quite busy right now in terms of television. Almost everyone I know in TV work is currently either back on their series or helping on another series. And I know a few people working on the pilots that actually came to film this year.
I should also note that the SAG members with whom I have spoken over the past three weeks, both in terms of cast members, and stand-ins and background players, to a person have said to me that they do not believe there will be a SAG strike. And, to a person, they all also supported the petition drive within SAG regarding voting status. To be specific, I’m referring to people actually working in the business – not the many acquaintances I have who are SAG members but work in other businesses. So I’m hopeful that the SAG negotiations will go well, and that SAG will have a contract by mid-June.
If LA’s mayor has some secret weapon the creative guilds can use to get a fair deal from the AMPTP other than threatening to strike, and backing it up by actually doing it, hey, give Alan a call.
The moguls have a cold-eyed view of this. Their bean counters calculate the costs of a strike down to the penny, and they know just how long a strike they would like to weather before seriously negotiating a deal. Any pre-negotiation hand-wringing by politicians only plays into the moguls’ plans, along with fighting between the creative guilds and factionalism within them.
SAG doesn’t want a strike. The WGA did not want a strike. The moguls took one strike already in the hope the WGA would crumble. If the moguls think they can get a better deal with SAG & AFTRA by forcing a strike, then that’s exactly what will happen.