• New York Post, Tuesday, January 20, 2009 9:17 AM

As the Screen Actors Guild continues to be in turmoil over a possible writers' strike, Madison Avenue is eager to avoid any labor strife in its own upcoming negotiations with commercial actors. The ad industry's contract with two Hollywood unions -- the SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists -- will expire March 31 unless both sides agree to another extension.

With the deadline looming, ad-industry negotiators are hoping to join the unions at the bargaining table in late February or early March. The question, however, is whether SAG will be ready to sit down. SAG is asking for greater concessions from the major film and TV studios than the other Hollywood unions, including AFTRA.

The ad industry is keeping a close eye on the situation for fear that SAG will be too distracted -- or divided -- to focus on the commercials contract in the coming weeks. Few expect negotiations will be easy, with the ad industry suffering through a major recession and sweeping changes.

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