Primetime deal approved by AFTRA committee

LOS ANGELES, June 8 (UPI) -- The national committee of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has approved a new prime time TV deal, members say.

Variety reported Friday that committee members will now send the tentative deal, which involves 10 prime time TV series, to federation members for approval.

AFTRA National Executive Kim Roberts Hedgpeth said her union's deal should not interfere with ongoing contract negotiations between the major studios and the Screen Actors Guild, the trade newspaper said.

The AFTRA board, however, rejected a request from the guild to hold off ratification of the new deal until SAG officials could negotiate their own prime time deal, Variety reported.

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter AFTRA officials felt their SAG counterparts were essentially blackmailing them into delaying approval of their new contract.

The Reporter said in apparent response to the AFTRA deal, SAG officials have organized a "solidarity rally" in Los Angeles Monday for its members.