George Clooney and other top Hollywood stars have offered $150 million to the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union as part of a proposal to end the actors’ strike as it nears its 100th day. This offer, confirmed by Clooney’s spokesperson on Thursday, would provide the union an extra $150 million over three years and could help fund improved health benefits.
Clooney also mentioned that top stars would only collect residuals once lower-paid actors received theirs. “A lot of the top earners want to be part of the solution. We think it’s fair for us to pay more into the union,” Clooney told an international news publication, which first reported the news.
A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment. Members of SAG-AFTRA have been on strike since July. Talks between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) broke down last week, dashing hopes for a quick resolution.
It may be recalled that the Hollywood writers’ union recently called off their strike, which had paralyzed Hollywood for a long time.
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Back Story:
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) represents approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, and other media professionals worldwide. Strikes like these are not uncommon in the entertainment industry. For instance, the Writers Guild of America had a 100-day strike in 2007-2008, which had a significant impact on the industry, leading to a loss of over $2 billion.
Statistics:
- The entertainment industry contributes over $500 billion to the US GDP annually.
- SAG-AFTRA has had multiple strikes in the past, with the 2000 commercial actors’ strike lasting six months.
Similar Instances:
In 1980, the Screen Actors Guild went on strike for three months over home video revenues, which was a new market at the time. The outcome of that strike led to actors receiving a percentage of home video sales.
