TV and film actors' unions sever ties ahead of studio talks
There are fears that Hollywood may see a repeat of the writer's strike
Sunday, 30, Mar 2008 04:29
Unions representing TV and film actors in the US have dramatically called off plans to work together in the upcoming talks with Hollywood studios.
The two unions had been due to meet on Saturday to agree on a starting date for the studio talks but instead the TV union, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), decided to sever ties with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
The decision to split comes just three months before Hollywood's contract with the actors from film and TV expires.
It is feared that another strike, similar to that of the writers earlier this year, may now take place.
A statement released by AFTRA accused SAG of sabotage with president Roberta Reardon saying: "For the past year SAG leadership in Hollywood has engaged in a relentless campaign of disinformation and disparagement".
SAG president Alan Rosenberg retaliated saying that the television union's "refusal now to bargain together with us and their last-second abandonment of the joint process is calculated [and] cynical".
"It may serve the interests of their institution, but not its members."
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represent the studios, said in a statement yesterday that they were looking forward to talks with AFTRA but notably made no mention of SAG.