Los Angeles (AP): The Screen Actors Guild announced it will begin negotiating a new contract with Hollywood producers on April 15.

Talks are set to start more than two months before SAG's contract expires with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers on June 30.

A-list actors such as George Clooney and Meryl Streep have pushed SAG to start talks quickly as the industry reconnects with viewers after the recent 100-day writers strike.

SAG has said it will focus on securing from producers favorable new-media pay and a larger share of home video revenue for its 120,000 members.

It appears Tuesday night's announcement means SAG will beat its fellow actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, to the bargaining table.

The two unions had for decades negotiated together with producers. All the while, the actors unions had long sniped at each other over who better represents some 44,000 actors who are members of both.

Last weekend, the two unions parted ways.

AFTRA President Roberta Reardon said the last straw was SAG's trying to persuade actors from soap drama ``The Bold and The Beautiful'' to abandon the federation.

Guild President Alan Rosenberg called the accusation SAG's ``calculated'' and ``cynical'' means of bringing about an end to the unions' partnership.