SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -
A unified front by Hollywood's
two actors' unions engaged in labor talks with movie studios
has dissolved in acrimony, leaving them to negotiate separate
deals before a strike deadline.
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or
AFTRA, told the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, late on Saturday
that it was terminating a joint negotiation agreement, accusing
the more-powerful SAG of trying to undermine it.
"AFTRA believes it must devote its full energies to working
on behalf of performers, and not wasting its time assessing
whether our partner is being honest with us," AFTRA President
Roberta Reardon said in a statement.
Reardon said AFTRA aimed to negotiate a contract as soon as
possible for its 70,000 members, who include actors, singers,
dancers, announcers and other broadcast performers.
The 120,000-strong SAG called AFTRA's move "calculated" and
"cynical" and said it did not serve members' interests.
The current film and TV contract expires on June 30, which
is being treated as the de facto strike deadline. An actors'
strike would deal a major blow to Hollywood, where nerves are
still raw from the 14-week writers' strike that ended February
12.
The unions share many of the same demands as writers, who
sought more money for work distributed over the Internet, but
the actors also face unique issues such as forced commercial
endorsements through product placement in TV shows and movies.
The studios are represented by the Alliance of Motion
Picture and Television Pictures, which said it was "pleased" to
hear AFTRA was ready to begin talks immediately.
(Reporting by Scott Hillis)
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