Now three months without a contract, the Screen Actors Guild is trying to get the movie studios to restart talks by looking into "three make-or-break issues," according to Variety. But studio execs aren't budging saying SAG needs to change their position on those issues. "If we can reach agreement on three threshold issues, we can finish these negotiations," SAG wrote in an open letter. "Other issues divide us, certainly, but we believe those other issues......

From a SAG Rally earlier this month (more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist It was looking to possibly be a dramatic summer when the Screen Actors Union and movie studios were scrambling to renew their contract with each other before it ended. But the contract expired, no deal was made (but AFTRA's deal was) and here we are months later. "Variety reminds us today that a major! labor! crisis! remains in effect......

Early yesterday afternoon, members of SEIU Local 1877 who work at LAX in a variety of capacities in jobs as janitors, skycaps, and wheelchair attendants, went on strike. They have been seeking "higher wages and affordable health care," explaining that they wish to have more pay and security in order to ensure the quality of their lives and their work. The workers opted to strike only when talks between their union and the 9 contractors......

SAG Members at a 'Solidarity Rally' on June 9, 2008 (more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist The votes came in and were counted: members of AFTRA--the nation’s second largest performers’ union--overwhelmingly voted to ratify a contract with the AMPTP, who represents movie studios and producers, by a 62.4% margin. “Today’s vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it," AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon said......

The Screen Actors Guild announced today that they will "present its response" to the "last best final" contract offer by movie studios and producers, who hope it will be accepted. With that, Nikki Finke opines: "... the Big Media companies are prepared to play hardball. I forsee a repeat of what happened during the lowest ebb of the writers strike: the AMPTP walks away from the talks and issues an ultimatum to SAG to take......

No deal has been met between the the Screen Actors Guild and the movie studios and producers, who have given their "last best final" offer. Right now, it's all about back and forth information sharing as they look over the offer. But is that really it? Nikki Finke says it best. "Let's not be coy: the Screen Actors Guild seems to be understandably playing for time until the results of the AFTRA contract ratification vote......

SAG and AMPTP met yesterday afternoon to discuss the new contract offered by the movie studios. Hours before the contract expired on Tuesday at 12:01 a.m., AMPTP offered the actors their "final offer," which SAG had many questions about yesterday. SAG is now going back to analyze and review AMPTP's proposal. But all of this is a waiting game until July 8 when the other and smaller actors union, AFTRA, announces if their disputed bad......

Now that the contract between the largest actors guild and the movie studios has expired, with talks to resume Wednesday, the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers is using a tactic on their website to show the economic pain the actors will supposedly cause if they authorize a strike. Two flash animation boxes on their homepage give out these statistics based on an Milken Institute study (for the writers strike) and Screen Actors Guild's......

Photo by Peggy Archer via Flickr Day 42 into the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and no result. The contract expires Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. and the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. SAG has been saying along that they have no plans to strike but AMPTP has said in a statement that the "industry is now in a de facto strike, with film......

That was what the AMPTP reportedly said when negotiations first began with the SAG. But that's just one option that SAG says will not happen. The Hollywood reporter breaks down how it could play out if no deal is reached by tonight's deadline: "They could negotiate a contract extension, which could be by day, week or month, and keep talking; the studios could lock out the actors; or SAG could seek a strike-authorization vote from......

Today, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers took out an ad (to the left) in both Variety and Hollywood Reporter stating their concerns over another strike. "The industry is shutting down because SAG's Hollywood leadership insisted on 11th-hour negotiations and dragging these talks into July so they can continue attacking AFTRA," a statement released to the Associated Press by AMPTP . Earlier this month, a SAG "Solidarity" Rally turned into an anti-AFTRA rally,......

No, it is unlikely the drama of that the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) will bleed out on the streets. In a statement late yesterday morning, SAG president, Alan Rosenberg, had this to say: "We have taken no steps to initiate a strike authorization vote by the members of Screen Actors Guild. Any talk about a strike or a management lockout at this......

Actors Union: "Management is stubborn and intransigent." Studio Reps: "'Frustrated and discouraged' at the guild's attitude." The Screen Actors Guild's contract with studios expires on June 30 and with the way things are going, the union is saying contract talks could extend past that deadline. That doesn't mean a strike, however. SAG has worked past the deadline in the past and plans to this time if talks are progressing, albeit slowly. Both the studios representation,......

SAG's 'Solidarity' Rally on Monday (see more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Screen Actors Guild members outside of Los Angeles are reportedly fuming over Monday's rally, which was billed as a pro-SAG "solidarity" event, but ended up having anti American Federation of Television and Radio Actor tones. Around 500 actors and supporters of the movement rallied outside SAG's Wilshire Blvd. headquarters chanting "Vote No!" "We were told this would be a pro......

Although the Screen Actors Guild said today was a "solidarity" rally, Variety plainly headlines the event: "SAG rallies against AFTRA, Guild member encourage to vote down deal." Some 500 or so actors and supporters came out to bolster support for duel cardholding SAG/AFTRA members (44,000 people are in both unions) voting down the American Federation of Television and Radio Actors' deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers. SAG says the AFTRA deal......

UPDATE: About 500 people showed for the rally. See photos here.This morning, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) will hold a "solidarity" rally at their Wilshire Blvd. Headquarters, a move the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) is calling decisive and possibly illegal. "It’s disingenuous of SAG to call it a ‘solidarity’ rally when it’s clear that it will be an anti-AFTRA rally,” said AFTRA President Roberta Reardon. The Writers Guild of America held......

George Clooney & friends don't want this guy's job, as seen in January '08 | Photo © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr If there's one scene Hollywood actors aren't eager to rehearse, it's the one where they march back and forth in front of studios in shifts, carrying signs and accepting honks and donuts from sympathetic supporters. It's something the Screen Actors Guild is hoping......

The 3-month-old WGA strike could end as early as Friday if the new contract is completed and approved It's still in the outline phase, but a new contract has been drawn for striking writers, and may meet with approval as early as Friday. The new deal is said to including resolutions to fundamental concerns, like compensation for work done for and distributed on the Internet, all of which led to the walkout and picket......

From the Front Lines I bring you "Day One of the Strike." The mood is very light and almost jovial; this shift has only been out here three hours. I think that is going to change fast. They caused a lot of rubber necking traffic but no real problems. They did get a lot of attention. There was lots of food to go around, and an official station for people to check in. It's a......

CBS says it is one parent distorting the picture of Kid Nation, a reality show about 40 kids, 40 days and no adults that premieres on September 19th. But news outlets are on the attack with Lisa de Moraes of The TV Column at The Washington Post rounding up the media coverage: The news reports on "Kid Nation" to date are the stuff PR-nightmare legends are made of: charges of thwarting child-labor laws; parents......