Will SAG Members Give The Authorization To Strike?

by Wayne Friedman , December 10, 2008

Think TV networks are changing enough with Leno at 10 p.m.? How about another midseason strike?

The Screen Actors Guild could walk out at the end of January. On Wednesday, the actors union told its 120,000 members they have until January 2 to send in their strike authorization ballots. Those results will be announced January 23, and if 75% agree, SAG could go out on strike. The timing is critical--it's right before television's February sweeps, and a month before the entertainment industry's big TV marketing event, the Academy Awards.

TV and film producers--the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers--remain adamant that they will not add more financial benefits to the proposal it submitted to SAG back in June, when the actors union contract expired.

SAG wants further concessions, especially in the area of new digital media platforms. The AMPTP refuses to give SAG more than what other unions that have already struck agreements, such as the Writer's Guild and AFTRA, have gotten.

Last month, a federal mediator was brought in to try to resolve the dispute, but to no avail. Talks broke off again.

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3 comments about "Will SAG Members Give The Authorization To Strike?".

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David Thurman from Aussie Rescue of Illinois, December 11, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
I would say real smart to do during a recession, but then again I never expected common sense or less greed from that tip of the world.
They must not know that folks that make much less then them are going to be judging their $$$$$ salaries already, and the same lower income people wonder then why reruns are all they have to look forward to. Advertising will take an even bigger hit, so the dog continues to chase his tail...
Go Follywood!
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Kristofer Chun, December 11, 2008 at 2:46 p.m.

Let me get this straight. The unions want to bleed the companies dry again so then we can be mad when the government has to bail out Viacom, CBS, GE, ...

Plus lets not forget all of the production people that got totally hosed last year that might have to face this again. Come on.

Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, December 11, 2008 at 4:07 p.m.

How many of those who want to get in on the profit bandwagon are willing to take the losses as well and there are plenty of them to go around. And all this for what? How much profit per actor on for example Hulu? $.98 ? $98? $980?