Deadline passes for Hollywood to avoid actors’ strike

Los Angeles, The Gulf Observer: Time has run out for Hollywood studios in Los Angeles to reach a deal with the industry’s largest union to avoid a major strike. A vote as to whether a strike should take place will be held on Thursday.

The deadline for Hollywood actors to reach a deal with major film and television studios passed on Thursday increasing the likelihood members of a key actors union would go on strike.

On Wednesday, talks took place with mediators in a last-ditch effort to avoid a second industry strike.

SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest union more commonly known as the Screen Actors Guild, had already said it would strike if negotiations did not result in a deal by midnight in Los Angeles (0700 Thursday GMT/UTC). SAG-AFTRA said its national board would meet Thursday to vote on a strike.

“After more than four weeks of bargaining, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) … remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to SAG-AFTRA members,” the Screen Actors Guild said in a statement.

A-list stars, including Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep, have voiced their support for the industrial action. Stars would not be able to promote new releases or attend industry events such as Comic-Con, which is set to be held next week, if the strike goes ahead.

The union represents roughly 160,000 actors and television and radio presenters and other media professionals.