Actor's Strike Half Averted

Filed under: Media Minute

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Hollywood's second-largest actor's union, AFTRA, announced Wednesday that it has hammered out a tentative deal with the mean media moguls (aka the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) on a three-year primetime TV contract.

The new deal means an increase in pay and benefits for AFTRA-covered shows.

And, considerable gains were also made in the area of New Media.

Like the WGA and DGA deals cut earlier this year, the AFTRA agreement grants the union jurisdiction for programs produced for the Internet and other New Media, and states that producers must seek the consent of AFTRA members before using clips from traditional TV shows for non-promotional uses.

No gains, however, were made in DVD residuals.

Everyone's full attention will now be on the big actor's union, SAG, and whether it can successfully agree upon a new contract when it resumes negotiations with the studio suits on Wednesday.

It is widely believed that AFTRA's ability to reach an agreement on new contract terms will put more pressure on SAG to make a deal and avert another crippling strike.

We'll keep you updated!

[Image via WENN.]

    Posted: May 28, 2008 at 4:30 pm / Email this  »

    37 comments to “Actor's Strike Half Averted”

    1. fg says – reply to this


      1

      Blah blah!!

    2. Erin says – reply to this


      2

      sooo sick of writers strikes
      i need my tv!!

    3. lq says – reply to this


      3

      who cares!!?? tv sucks.

      am i first?? prolly not…

    4. meee says – reply to this


      4

      go actors!!!!

    5. Erin says – reply to this


      5

      oops i meant strikes in general not just writers strikes

    6. 46ty says – reply to this


      6

      Yay?

    7. jennif says – reply to this


      7

      10th?

    8. first says – reply to this


      8

      first!

    9. virgin says – reply to this


      9

      hope that works out!! good for them…

    10. mamalo says – reply to this


      10

      first

    11. janet says – reply to this


      11

      And the rich get richer! Greedy!!!!

    12. virgin says – reply to this


      12

      can someone answer this…..why does this thing fool you into thinkin your first and then turns out your like 25th !!!!!! :( :( :(

    13. Who fu says – reply to this


      13

      Let their retarded shit stained asses strike…hope they all lose out on jobs and fans…they needs to fuck off with their overcompensated asses

    14. r says – reply to this


      14

      boring

    15. je says – reply to this


      15

      of course aftra worked out a deal because they're a joke compared to sag. sag is much more influential with way more members. it's the one people should be worried about.

    16. cdr says – reply to this


      16

      this is pretty fucking disgusting. i mean, who cares? there are television actors that get paid almost a million dollars per episode and they are throwing a fit to get more? i'm sorry but what impact do television actors make on the world? most that actually do their part to improve society such as educators and soldiers don't even get a fraction of that!

    17. TINK says – reply to this


      17

      That is why I started watching reality shows, It is too much drama

    18. jewbac says – reply to this


      18

      go on strike you useless piece,s of shit who cares the local plumber is far more important than you;;;look i can pretend i,m someone else;; foad

    19. furst says – reply to this


      19

      i,m an actor

    20. disgus says – reply to this


      20

      To all of you who say "who cares" - those of us who are not actors but are in the industry CARE!!!!!!!!!!! It's hard enough to make ends meet when we're working, when the actors are on strike we don't work either but we don't get strike pay!

    21. bebo says – reply to this


      21

      SAG won't be pressured to make a deal just because AFTRA did. SAG doesn't care about AFTRA's deal. If SAG doesn't get what "THEY" consider fair working and financial conditions than you better believe Hollywood will have another strike on it's hands. I would say EXPECT A STRIKE!

    22. off th says – reply to this


      22

      I wish I could have been at Mt Rushmore when Hillary Clinton stopped by today. So I could have told her how much I love her and admire her for fighting so hard against such a huge tide of ignorance and misunderstanding for what she knows and what I know is right: That if either of these other hacks running for president gets elected then it will mean bad things for the future of our country and the whole world. And that she is by far the more experienced and competent and WORTHY CANDIDATE!



    23. 23

      I am so sick of hearing about this strike

    24. Ariana says – reply to this


      24

      WHAT THE FUCK?? WHY DO THEY GET STRIKESSS!!THEYRE FUCKEN RICH AS HELL AND THEY WANT MORE??OH YEAHHH I GET TREATED SO BAD I MAKE 2 MILLION A MOVIE!!MAN FUCK ALL THESE REATRDS

    25. DONOFR says – reply to this


      25

      Curious that no one even remotely, slightly noticed "tortured" actor, Vincent D'Onofrio, among the crew gang. I suspect this makes him more tortured. Sort of like a who cares? Maybe he's paid someone not to speak. He's certainly done that before.

    26. tre says – reply to this


      26

      they can strike all they want…i dont watch t.v

    27. linda says – reply to this


      27

      DONOFR, What do you mean?

      I thought that he was Santa taking a break from the North Pole.

    28. ALF says – reply to this


      28

      Aftra "negotiated" a terrible contract for all of their members and they should be ashamed of themselves. The contract calls for "raises" of 3.5 percent thefirst year 3 percent the second and 3.5 percent the third year. Inflation is running at 4 percent per year so they are actually losing money when adjusted for inflation. With gas $4.30 a gallon and food prices skyrocketing inflation may reach 5 or 6 percent yearly. How can they aGREE to such a bad contract. They had to negotiate this??// the producers are laughing their asses off right now. SAG WILL NOT ACCEPT A PIECE OF CRAP DEAL THAT SCREWS ALL OF IT"S MEMBERS. thanks alot aftra Losers for setting a terribly weak precedent, your members should get a refund on their dues, you guys suck! , a concerned SAG member

    29. brin says – reply to this


      29

      I don't want another fucking strike AGAIN, I don't even live in the USA but I hate to see the repetitions of the series!! hate this crap

    30. jul says – reply to this


      30

      they should be happy they are getting paid at all…stupid actors!

    31. Alread says – reply to this


      31

      yes but most films around the world that are SAG related are not being filmed til the issue has been resolved… production has already majorly stalled. they may as well be on strike… only tv shows are getting made….

    32. KV says – reply to this


      32

      Re: cdr – CDR. I am a working actor and just so you know. Many actors in SAG/AFTRA make less than 30K and they work EVERY day on getting work. Many do not qualify for health insurance. The "million" dollar people are like less than 2% of our union. There are thousands of really great actors who provide ENTERTAINMENT and people enjoy what they do. Otherwise we would not have programming. Those are the people SAG needs to fight for. Look at the guy who is in Grand Theft Auto 4. He made 100 K for like 9 months of work…nice right? But that's all he's ever going to see and the producer is nearing 1 billion dollars.

    33. KV says – reply to this


      33

      Re: janet – I am a working actor and just so you know. Many actors in SAG/AFTRA make less than 30K and they work EVERY day on getting work. Many do not qualify for health insurance. The "million" dollar people are like less than 2% of our union. There are thousands of really great actors who provide ENTERTAINMENT and people enjoy what they do. Otherwise we would not have programming. Those are the people SAG needs to fight for. Look at the guy who is in Grand Theft Auto 4. He made 100 K for like 9 months of work…nice right? But that's all he's ever going to see and the producer is nearing 1 billion dollars.

    34. KV says – reply to this


      34

      Re: Ariana – I am a working actor and just so you know. Many actors in SAG/AFTRA make less than 30K and they work EVERY day on getting work. Many do not qualify for health insurance. The "million" dollar people are like less than 2% of our union. There are thousands of really great actors who provide ENTERTAINMENT and people enjoy what they do. Otherwise we would not have programming. Those are the people SAG needs to fight for. Look at the guy who is in Grand Theft Auto 4. He made 100 K for like 9 months of work…nice right? But that's all he's ever going to see and the producer is nearing 1 billion dollars.

    35. kv says – reply to this


      35

      I've replied to a few folks and wanted to share this:

      I am a working actor and just so you know. A majority of SAG/AFTRA members 5- 30K and they work EVERY day on getting work. Many do not qualify for health insurance. The "million" dollar people are like less than 2% of our union. There are thousands of really great actors who provide ENTERTAINMENT and people enjoy what they do. Otherwise we would not have programming. Those are the people SAG needs to fight for. Look at the guy who is in Grand Theft Auto 4. He made 100 K for like 9 months of work…nice right? But that's all he's ever going to see and the producer is nearing 1 billion dollars. Is he going to work on another game, probably not…b/c people remember him. Residuals are so important….otherwise we'd need a bigger paychack but if the shows/movies didn't do that well the studios would be out of business. We are not greedy guys. We work hard, many have second jobs an a hell of a lot of us give back to the community volunteering. It's only the idiots in the rags…many of us are great, talented, kind people who want to help you laugh, give you that "gat away", make you think or experience something new.

    36. Brandy says – reply to this


      36

      Why should they be paid any more money then that already make. Its not right! People in this world back there neck to even have the hope of ever being 10th as rich as Brad Pitt. They caqn work a whole 5 weeks and make what most people will make in a lifetime! Its not right! When is will it ever be enought. They get to sit on there ass half of the year while normal peopel back their necks to even try to make it in this world now. Its stupid! I think fans should go on strike! Show these actors and writes they are NOTHING WITHOUT US!

    37. FANS S says – reply to this


      37

      ANYONE WHO IS SICK OF THESE MONEY HUNRGY ASSHOLE! I SAY STRIKE Stop watching TV stop watching movies! STOP GOING AND BUYING LET THEM KNOW WE ARE WHO MAKE THEM!