A major Hollywood actors union and representatives of studios and television networks met?in Los Angeles?for the ninth time in 10 days Thursday for a new labor contract after the two sides decided to extend the talks for another week to shun a strike.

Negotiators from Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Hollywood studios and major U.S. television networks, have been in meetings almost every day since April 15.

Both sides announced Wednesday that the contract talks would be extended for another week as they work to close "significant gaps." The talks were originally expected to end Saturday.

The extension means that negotiations with the other actors' union -- the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) -- will be postponed until May 5. Those talks earlier were scheduled to begin Monday.

In a notice posted on its Web site, AMPTP officials said they asked AFTRA for the delay so more time can be dedicated to closing "significant gaps" in the SAG negotiations.

"At this time, there remain significant gaps between the two parties and we hope to use the extra time to narrow these gaps," the statement said, adding that AMPTP would give the current talks every opportunity to result in an agreement.

The actors union's priorities in the negotiations include increasing minimum pay scales, increasing residual payments for home video, increasing pay for television programs and movies shown on the Internet, and increasing employer pension and health contributions.

In an "open letter" also posted on its Web site, the AMPTP said that it is "committed to creating a genuine economic partnership with the talented men and women who help us create entertainment."

The alliance also pledged to "share fairly in the revenues we generate, including new revenue from the emerging areas of new media," and to make reasonable and necessary compromises to avoid any additional, needless work stoppages.

The AMPTP is hoping that the provisions related to new media like the Internet and cell phone in recently reached agreements with unions of Hollywood directors and writers will allow it to reach an agreement with the Screen Actors Guild.

Hollywood executives have been worried about a possible industry-wide actors' strike like the recent one launched by the Writers Guild of America, which had cost the entertainment industry and local economy billions of dollars during about 100 days from November to February.

(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2008)