Given recent events, it is particularly important for our country and for those who work in our industry to keep production healthy and moving at full speed

Gil Cates, DGA

The movie and television business has been hit hard by the effects of 11 September, affecting both advertising revenue and several major films, which were shelved or reshot due to senstive content.

Talks will begin between the two parties on 26 November at the AMPTP headquarters in Encino, California.

"The DGA leadership recognises that hundreds of thousands of artisans and craftspeople depend on television and film production for their livelihood," said Gil Cates, chairman of the DGA's negotiating committee.

He added: "Given recent events, it is particularly important for our country and for those who work in our industry to keep production healthy and moving at full speed.

Strike talks

"By beginning our discussions now, we hope to avoid the uncertainty that inevitably comes when negotiations are extended to the hour of expiration."

Earlier this year, protracted talks between SAG and the AMPTP went down to the wire as strike action was anticipated in July.

Actors' unions had been demanding a better pay deal for their 135,000 members - especially the "middle-income actor".

A news blackout surrounded the talks and final contract details but it is thought terms included increases to performers' minimum salary scale and their residual payments - the compensation paid for secondary markets like repeats, cable TV and foreign distribution.

Since 1982, the AMPTP has been the main trade association dealing with labour issues in the motion picture and television industry.

It handles 80 industry-wide collective bargaining agreements that cover actors, craftspeople, directors, musicians, technicians and writers - virtually all of the people who work on theatrical motion pictures and television programs.

The DGA's current contract with the AMPTP expires on 30 June, 2002.