George Clooney and other stars who are among Hollywood’s highest earners have introduced a groundbreaking proposal to end the long-running actors’ strike. Nearly 100 days.
Clooney, Ben Affleck, Emma Stone, Scarlett Johansson and Tyler Perry met with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to propose eliminating the $1 million cap on union membership fees so that higher-profile employers in show business could contribute more, Delivery time Reported for the first time.
“A lot of high-income earners want to be part of the solution,” Clooney, a two-time Oscar winner, told Deadline. “We have offered to remove the dues cap, which would bring the union more than $50 million annually. And more than $150 million over the next three years. We believe it is fair for us to pay the union more.”
The funds will go toward providing health benefits to members. The stars also suggested reworking how actors get their streaming credits.
The offer would prioritize paying low-income people first, Clooney said, Deadline reported.
Nice offer, but it won’t change anything
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher responded to the unprecedented offer of… Instagramthanking Clooney and the other participants for the suggestion.
She described the offer as “generous” but warned that it “doesn’t impact the contract we have on it at all.”
“We are a federally regulated labor union, and the only contributions that can go to our retirement and health plans have to be from the employer,” Drescher said. “So what we’re fighting for in terms of benefits should stay in this contract.”
The union is still waiting for “the executives to return to the table so we can continue our conversations.”
She called on studio heads to avoid addressing what she called “flaws” in the current residual compensation model.
“Sometimes in life, when you introduce an unprecedented business model like they did with all my members through streaming, an unprecedented compensation structure also has to go with it,” Drescher said. “It may not be easy, and 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 what will become the new normal.”
Union dues are subject to federal and state laws
The SAG-AFTRA Television and Theater Negotiating Committee also responded to the proposal in a letter For members on Thursday
“We are grateful that a few of our most successful members chipped in with ideas and support,” the letter read.
She added that the concept of stars raising their dues “is worth considering, but it is in no way related to this current contract and will have no impact on it or even as a subject of collective bargaining.” “It’s actually prohibited under federal labor law. For example, our retirement and health plans are funded exclusively by employer contributions. It also doesn’t reflect the size of the overall package.”