Hollywood studios, AFTRA agree on contract

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists early this morning reached a new contract with Hollywood studios, increasing pressure on the larger Screen Actors Guild to secure its own agreement as negotiations resume today. The tentative accord, coming after nearly three weeks of negotiations, was modeled on a pact that ended the 100-day writers strike in February. If the contract is ratified, AFTRA would become the third Hollywood union to accept a deal based on the contract negotiated by directors last year, making it tougher for SAG to argue that its members deserve significantly better terms. “This is a challenging time in the entertainment industry, and this was a tough negotiation,” said AFTRA President Roberta Reardon. “Our ability to achieve these crucial breakthroughs for performers was a direct result of AFTRA members’ pragmatic approach to collective bargaining.” For the full story visit http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-aftra29-2008may29,0,5396803.story