Hollywood Stars Split In Studio Pay Row
Posted by admin on 28 June, 2008 under Business news | 
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A row over Hollywood megabucks has erupted pitting top billing stars against each other as rival unions quibble over a pay deal.
The Screen Actors Guild has accused major Hollywood studios of offering it a lesser contract deal than a smaller actors’ union.
SAG made the claim amid demands in Hollywood that it end the possibility of a strike by accepting the same deal as the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
“When we came back to the table, what they offered us, then and since, is tens of millions of dollars less than the AFTRA deal itself,” Doug Allen of SAG said.
“It’s obvious that they are trying to get us to bargain up to a deal they already know is unacceptable,” he said.
SAG declined to provide details on the differences between the offers.
The dispute has split the industry.
Big names such as Jack Nicholson, Josh Brolin and Ben Stiller are siding with SAG, while Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey have urged support of the AFTRA deal.
The two unions split acrimoniously in March over accusations of member poaching.
They decided to negotiate with the studios separately for the first time in 27 years.
The contracts of both unions are set to expire Monday, and the lack of a deal has left studios reluctant to give the go-ahead on major movie productions.
Jesse Hiestand, a spokesman for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, declined to comment on the bargaining position of the studios.
“We are approaching the conclusion of the process,” he said. “The bargaining continues.”
SAG represents 120,000 actors in movies, TV and other media.
The TV and radio federation represents 70,000 members, including actors, singers, announcers and journalists.
The unions share 44,000 dual members.
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