Jul 17, 2008 8:01 pm US/Pacific
SAG Explains Its Rejection Of Producers' Contract
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
The Screen Actors Guild has given its most detailed explanation yet for its rejection of a final contract offer by Hollywood studios, citing shortfalls in pay and union jurisdiction on made-for-Internet productions.
In a letter to SAG's 120,000 members, Doug Allen, the guild's executive director, claimed the offer would allow nonunion actors into "almost all new media productions for the foreseeable future."
It said the producers' offer also would leave out residual fees paid to actors for content that is made specifically for, and then retransmitted on, the Web.
The producers have said a final offer they made June 30 was worth $250 million in additional compensation over three years, an estimate the guild disputes.
No further meetings are scheduled.
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