SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher welcomed a proposal led by George Clooney to eliminate union dues caps, but said the offer was legally inconsistent with the union’s contract with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers argue, whatever.”
Earlier this week, Clooney and a group of other top players met with SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and Drescher and presented leaders with a bold proposal suggesting that the union lift the contribution cap for senior workers . To attract members in order to bring more money into the union’s coffers over the course of three years.
The idea behind the A-Lister proposal is for big stars like Clooney to pay more contributions than is currently required (the cap is currently $1 million in earnings) to close the gap between SAG-AFTRA’s goals 2023 negotiations and what the studios and streamers are willing to give. The proposal also aims to ensure that lower-income members are paid in residual amounts before higher-income members.
“First, I would like to thank some members who have great influence in this business for the tremendous amount of money they have donated to our foundation,” Drescher said in a long video posted to Instagram. “I would also like to thank George Clooney for organizing the proposal to lower the contribution caps so that the highest paid members can contribute more. “Although that is extremely generous and we generously accept it.”
Drescher explained that the proposal would not work legally based on the union contract. “We are a state-regulated union and the only contributions that can flow into our pension and health funds must come from the employer. Therefore, what we are fighting for in terms of benefits must remain in this contract.”
She added, “[It’s] Kind of apples and oranges, just so everyone understands.”
Talks between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP are currently stalled over the union’s streaming viewership proposal, which seeks to charge streaming services 57 cents per subscriber to create a pool of money that could be distributed to members whose Works appear on these services. The AMPTP said this proposal would impose an “unsustainable economic burden,” while the artists’ union said such a provision was necessary to increase downward pressure on members’ wages for streaming projects. The sides also remain far apart when it comes to AI guidelines for entertainment and the increase in minimum tariffs for the next three years.
Drescher also talked about the idea that came up in the Clooney-led plan about residuals. “There was a hint of a proposed solution from some people about how we might come back to the table with some sort of remainder. But that has been reviewed by our very experienced union contract employee negotiators and attorneys.”
“And they said that unfortunately it doesn’t hold water because, frankly, it’s a very nuanced house of cards. “While we appreciate the efforts and desire to support the entire membership body, we in the union and on the bargaining committee are still waiting for the CEOs to return to the table so we can continue our discussions,” Drescher said. that on October 11, the studios called for a suspension of discussions, particularly about the union’s streaming viewership proposal. “Because if you either say no or walk away from the table, you’re not really in a negotiation.”
Later in the video, Drescher specifically warned the studios to walk away from the talks, saying that “walking away from the table is not only very indecent, but also unlawful.” has reached out to the AMPTP for comment.
Drescher described the union’s streaming viewership proposal as “cracking the code” on streaming compensation. And in her message she said that the union would not be backing down from this proposal any time soon. “It’s true that the CEOs don’t really want to address this, but sometimes in life when you introduce an unprecedented business model, like they did with all my members with streaming, an unprecedented compensation structure has to go with it. It may not be easy, it may not be what they want, but it is an elegant way to solve the problem so we can all get back to work in the new normal.”
Later Thursday evening, the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee weighed in with a lengthy statement that reiterated some of Drescher’s key points and fleshed out others. “The fact that the heads of broadcasters, streaming companies and studios are open to direct communication with them is great,” the union said in a statement. “But leaders should not for a second believe that they can use the goodwill of member emissaries to distract us from our mission.”
The statement continued: “We have subsidized the growth of the streaming model with reduced rates and little to non-existent residuals. “It is time to share in the success we have helped to build.”
Katie Kilkenny contributed to this report.