Averting, for now, a second strike in Hollywood. “To exhaust every opportunity to achieve the righteous contract we all demand and deserve, after thorough deliberation, the guild unanimously deliberated to allow additional time to negotiate,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland wrote in a message to union members after the decision to allow more time for the two sides – SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which bargains on behalf of the studios – to hash out an agreement that could avert a second industry strike. Writers have been on strike since May 2nd.The current three-year film and TV contract for actors expired on June 30th. The guild members overwhelmingly voted (98% yeses) to allow their leaders to call a walkout if a deal was not reached by the end of June. Still, last week the guild representatives wrote in a statement that their negotiations with studios and streamers have been “extremely productive,” hence the need for more time to reach an agreement. It’s a practice they know: the union has extended negotiations in previous bargaining rounds in 2014 and 2017 before eventually reaching deals, but this time some more difficulties are in sight regarding how to measure streaming residuals and secure protections against the abuse of artificial intelligence. Actors join writers in demanding fair pay to combat inflation and the growing dominance of streaming platforms. A united front of union members, including A-list actors, has voiced their concerns and threatened a strike if a groundbreaking agreement isn’t reached. The message is clear: we need a deal that can bring real change.The last time actors went on strike was in 2000 in a dispute over their commercials contract. The previous strike against major studios was in 1988. (ICE LOS ANGELES)

Fonte notizia: Los Angeles Times