Senator to Hear Dispute Between Actors Guild, Agents

Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco) plans to announce today that he will hold a hearing on the current dispute between the Screen Actors Guild and Hollywood agents over their inability to forge a new agreement governing the relationship between the two groups. Burton will make the announcement at the Screen Actors Guild headquarters, joined by SAG President William Daniels and actor Richard Dreyfuss and actresses Whoopi Goldberg and Valerie Harper. Talks broke off in November to negotiate a new “franchise” agreement between the Assn. of Talent Agents and SAG. Agents have been trying to persuade SAG to revamp the decades-old agreement, saying they need such freedoms as the ability to enter new ventures and finance films to survive financially and compete with managers. SAG has argued that the proposal by agents runs counter to state labor law, which the agents deny.