So Far, So Good
This just in from Team SAG-AFTRA: the co-committee members have emerged from their two-day plenary with proposals for the big joint board on Saturday.
The unions have announced in a press release, "The joint SAG and AFTRA National Wages and Working Conditions Committees...[have] unanimously approved proposals for consideration by the joint AFTRA-SAG board of directors at its meeting this Saturday in Los Angeles. The Joint National Committee reviewed proposals submitted by Wages and Working Conditions Committees that have been meeting across the country since Jan. 30."
So, um, not huge news, but it seems SAG and AFTRA are playing nice. Whether they talked about non-contract issues like jurisdiction over basic-cable--as Doug Allen implied they might--remains to be seen. Still, if SAG and AFTRA are on the same page they could start talking with producers as early as Monday--a good thing, according to most Strike Watchers.
Speaking of meetings, Variety reports Peter Chernin and Bob Iger are planning another sit-down with SAG, AFTRA, and AMPTP leaders. Chernin and Iger played key parts in solidifying the DGA and WGA's deals, and if Dave McNary and Nikki Finke are to be believed, they've been meeting with SAG's Doug Allen, AFTRA's Kim Roberts Hedgepeth, and AMPTP's Nick Counter for a while.
It could be that everyone concerned is taking Ken Ziffern's advice to shut up and get down to business, away from the press' prying eyes. Good call -- keep talking, guys.
--Lauren Horwitch
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