Hollywood studios agree to meet with SAG

updated 8:19 p.m. ET July 15, 2008

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood producers said Tuesday they will meet with the Screen Actors Guild less than a week after the union rejected what the producers called their final contract offer.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said the union requested the Wednesday meeting without disclosing the topic.

A small group of top negotiators will meet, meaning that the studios are not likely to respond immediately to any changes the guild might make to the counterproposal it made Thursday.

“The AMPTP has agreed to the meeting but has made it clear that the meeting will be solely for the purpose of listening to whatever SAG has to say,” the alliance said in a statement.

Guild spokeswoman Pamela Greenwalt confirmed the meeting but declined further comment.

The producers alliance continued to call on union leaders to allow actors to vote on a contract offer that it said would provide $250 million in additional compensation over three years. The guild has said the estimated value of the offer is highly inflated.

The producers said if the offer is not ratified by Aug. 15, any proposed wage increases would not be made retroactive to July 1.

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