SAG Works Towards A New Deal

Although the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) aren't yet over, the basic details of the new contract have emerged.

Over the weekend, the two parties reportedly put together a three-year deal that would see a 3.5% increase in minimum wages over the existing rates of $617 per day and $2,142 per week, according to Daily Variety. The trade paper's unnamed sources said that the deal will also include higher pay for television guest stars.

The new contract is said to include higher residuals for cable, Fox network and foreign television. Previously, Fox residual payments were 66% of those paid by ABC, CBS and NBC. Additionally, pension and health contributions will reportedly be included.

Both sides remained committed to reaching a deal as soon as possible, with the delays mainly the result of guild procedure and the need for the contracts to be written as precisely as possible. Variety sources said the holdup was not because of disagreements over core issues.

"The fact that we're still here indicates there's a reason to still be here," said Pamm Fair, spokeswoman for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), who are negotiating with the Screen Actors Guild (via AP). Barry Liden, spokesman for AMPTP, concurred. "We all want to get a deal as soon as we possibly can," he said.

The talks are set to resume this afternoon, and continue until a settlement is reached. In keeping with the media blackout, no formal statement about the specifics of the contract will be made until the conclusion of the talks.

More information can be found in this Daily Variety article or this AP report.

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