This is semi-breaking, so off to DHD:

I can now report that the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and the AMPTP are not making any progress with both sides very far apart and very frustrated. Negotiators for the Hollywood CEOs are privately making it clear they plan to make a deal first with AFTRA in order to use that as a wedge to soften up SAG. And, get this — my sources tell me that the AMPTP is now prepared to wait out SAG for a deal until as late as mid-July.

What did the AMPTP learn from the writers’ strike?

-Their audience will take a lot of punishment.
-Unions are weak, and carry large sticks manufactured to look powerful.
-They don’t need to give up shit in terms of DVD and NewMedia.
-Money rules everything and they have more of it.

Here comes STTTTTEEEERRRIIIKKKEEE TWO!

In simple terms: The AMPTP hasn’t been able to break SAG as quickly as they thought, but only because SAG is asking for better deals than the ones given to the WGA and the DGA. SAG wants more, but the AMPTP is going to play hard ball.

If negotiations have really reached a stalemate, nothing will happen during next week’s SAG/AMPTP talks, the AMPTP will eventually start up long-delayed meetings with AFTRA, who will either make a the same deal or make a worse deal (heaven forbid they re-align with SAG), then the AMPTP suits just wait for SAG to crack.

The AMPTP is willing to wait until July, but the SAG contacts go up in June.