Things are not looking good for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Negotiations with the Association of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) are stalled, and the divisions that have plagued the union since before negotiations began, let alone stalled, have arisen again.
A list of prominent actors, many of them heavy hitters, have put out a press release opposing any strike action by SAG in light of today's economy. SAG's leadership have lashed back at them, and in turn have been lashed back at as well. Things are getting ugly, and the AMPTP leadership is cackling their little flinty hearts out at their coven headquarters.
I predicted these problems for SAG, and seeing them come to fruition has made me come to a rather grim conclusion.
SAG will probably have to eat dirt for this contract.
I hate to admit it, but they are too divided, too weak, and too broke, to handle a strike. If they do strike, they could very well end up with an even worse contract just to get their bills paid. So they're going to have to suck it up, remember that it's only for three years, and start preparing for the next contract.
I wish SAG luck, they're going to need it.
A list of prominent actors, many of them heavy hitters, have put out a press release opposing any strike action by SAG in light of today's economy. SAG's leadership have lashed back at them, and in turn have been lashed back at as well. Things are getting ugly, and the AMPTP leadership is cackling their little flinty hearts out at their coven headquarters.
I predicted these problems for SAG, and seeing them come to fruition has made me come to a rather grim conclusion.
SAG will probably have to eat dirt for this contract.
I hate to admit it, but they are too divided, too weak, and too broke, to handle a strike. If they do strike, they could very well end up with an even worse contract just to get their bills paid. So they're going to have to suck it up, remember that it's only for three years, and start preparing for the next contract.
I wish SAG luck, they're going to need it.
PS AMPTP is not in good condition
ReplyDeleteCBS fires nearly 30 people in its entertainment division
The media firm is grappling with the deepening recession, which has prompted companies to slash their advertising budgets.
By Meg James
December 17, 2008
Bracing for continued tough times, CBS Corp. this week became the latest media company to reduce the number of employees in its entertainment division.
CBS fired nearly 30 people, primarily in its network programming but also at its CBS Paramount Network Television production studios in Los Angeles and Studio City, two people close to the network said.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cbs17-2008dec17,0,7202949.story
You make a point, but their problems go beyond the layoffs.
ReplyDeleteI will explain it in my next blog post.