After a week of progress, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke off negotiations with SAG-AFTRA Wednesday night, saying the gap between the two sides is “too great.” But the actors’ union isn’t ready to call it quits.
At an event for Roybal Film and Television Magnet school Friday morning, George Clooney told KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian that SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher told him she’s ready to talk whenever the studios are.
“She said, ‘I’m going to go in there and sit there today, tomorrow, I’m going to be in the room to negotiate,’” Clooney said. “‘I’m going to be there all day every day to negotiate, and when they come in, we’ll sit there, we’ll fight, we’ll argue, we’ll disagree, we’ll figure it out, and we won’t leave until we get it done.”
SAG-AFTRA issued a statement to members Thursday, accusing the studios of using “bully tactics” and rejecting their proposals while refusing to counter.
“They talk at you, they really don’t want to hear what you have to say or why you’re saying it,” Drescher said to NBC.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s chief negotiator, told KNX News the studios’ decision to break off talks was a surprise.
“Our committee, our staff, worked through the weekends, just did everything in our power to try and move these negotiations forward,” he said. “To have the other side just abruptly, and frankly with little explanation, decide to walk away from the table, right after we made a series of counter-proposals to them that attempted to move things in their direction in very significant ways, it was incredibly disappointing.”
It’s unknown if or when talks will resume. SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since mid-July.
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