SAG-AFTRA’s Hard Week Of Clooney & Costumes

The actor’s strike hits Day 100 tomorrow, but even before it does the last few days have been a bit of a headache for the SAG-AFTRA union following the collapse of the most recent round of negotiations with the AMPTP last week.

It began on Tuesday when George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson and a group of other A-listers offered a proposal to SAG-AFTRA leadership they hoped would end the strike. One element of said proposal tied to lifting the cap on actor’s dues according to Variety.

That proposal was rejected on Wednesday by the union’s negotiating committee. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher explained in a video on Instagram posted last night that the offer from Clooney & company “does not impact the contract that we’re striking over whatsoever”.

She added: “We are a federally regulated labor union and the only contributions that can go into our pension and health funds must be from the employer. So what we are fighting for in terms of benefits has to remain in this contract.”

Another proposal by the group about changing the residual structure was also shot down by the guild’s “very experienced union contract staff, negotiators and lawyers”.

The proposal reportedly doesn’t cover the three things that seem to be holding up talks at this point – a share of streaming revenue, an increase in minimums to keep pace with inflation, and regulations on artificial intelligence.

Drescher earlier this year touted member unity as key element of her SAG-AFTRA presidency. Unfortunately, the public nature of what happened over last few days has led to speculation about frustration amongst the ranks.

Meanwhile, former SAG president Melissa Gilbert blasted the message from SAG-AFTRA earlier this week urging its members not to dress up as characters from struck companies this Halloween. Gilbert says in a fiery Instagram posting:

“THIS is what you guys come up with? Literally no one cares what anyone wears for Halloween. I mean, do you really think this kind of infantile stuff is going to end the strike? We look like a joke. Please tell me you’re going to make this rule go away… and go negotiate!

For the love of God, people are suffering mightily and this is what you have to say… c’mon guys… This is the kind of silly bulls— that keeps us on strike. ‘Let’s enact a policy that makes us look petty and incompetent at the same time.’”

For now, there’s no word on when SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP might resume talks.

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