Actors talks still on, but on slow track

Formal negotiations between the two actors unions and the producers alliance won’t resume until Wednesday, though that’s to be expected, say wire reports. The break will be used for the Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists and Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers to evaluate what was proposed May 15, when negotiations began. Talks will continue Wednesday and Thursday, before they recess for the Memorial Day weekend. When talks resume after that, the two sides will have a little less than five weeks to iron out a deal. Despite both sides’ optimism that a deal can be reached before a strike becomes necessary, shrinking industry margins may not allow producers to accede too much to the actors’ streamlined list of demands. The Writers Guild of America’s tentative deal with the AMPTP will move one step closer to the expected ratification, with the mailing of ballots on Tuesday to the WGA plenum. The final tally won’t take place until June 4 after general member meetings, and results won’t be released until June 5.