Granted, this is nothing new. It's been actors vs. studios for decades if not centuries. This time Fox is using the tactic of going purely with AFTRA contacts and leaving the SAG union in the lurch.I'm ambivalent about this. On one hand, actors should get their fair share of the products their image help make famous. On the other hand, I can understand why Fox would use this tactic as another strike would probably cripple television production.
This is not a good time for actors' unions to get divisive. There is a recession going on and the television landscape is still recovering from last year's writers' strike. There is not a single network that would want to go through the headache of figuring out which union contract terms work best for them (in previous years, they've been identical).
Fox has the upper hand at this moment. With so many people out of work, you have a lot of potential actors right there. They already have the unemployed part down pat.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-17-2008 @ 6:01PM
Modwild said...
Do reality "stars" have to sign with unions? Just curious.
I read this morning that this might happen with other networks, as well. Apparently, infighting within SAG is at an all time high. The members are not pleased with either the negotiating tactics nor the poor decision to attempt to strike in the wake of failed negotiations in a tumultuous economic landscape.
It's an awful position to be in, and it doesn't look like unions are doing so well these days. Sometimes you just need to agree that the time is not great to rock the boat.
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12-17-2008 @ 6:08PM
0megapart!cle said...
I thought that the writer's maybe should have just signed a temporary one year contract at the height of the contract when everyone was really starting to feel the pain. I don't know if that would have been the right decision, but I definitely think the actor's need to do something to avoid a strike. They are absolutely in the right, and the producer's are being evil dicks. But right now in this economy, they will not win with a strike. Even if they manage to wrangle enough members to authorize a strike vote, the public tide will be against them, and there is a chance they will hurt the overall industry greatly.
They need to sign a temporary contract relatively similar to the AFTRA one, and prepare over the next year for a fight to get the right contract, when the overall economy is a little better.
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12-17-2008 @ 10:08PM
Karen said...
The union leaders need to be crushed like bugs.
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12-17-2008 @ 11:49PM
Phish said...
most of the actors involved are nobodies, unfortunately, the good ones, who are well paid, get stuck in the crossfire.
i think that any actor that makes it big time, should quit SAG. they dont need SAG, but SAG needs them to use as pawns.
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12-18-2008 @ 3:21AM
segsig said...
nbc's new show, Off Duty, also has AFTRA contracts. However, I think if SAG votes to strike the members and other unions will support it.
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12-18-2008 @ 10:54AM
nostrikeRIGHTNOW said...
I'm sorry to break the news to you segsig but the general feeling from the other unions are exactly what's been mentioned before. We may support a strike, but not right now. We all need and want to work. I'm a member of IATSE and many of us suffered through the writer's strike, especially those who only work scripted series. We lost a lot of income due to the writer's strike. The shape our economy is in right now makes it not the right time to strike. SAG should cut a temporary deal and renegotiate when the timing is better so we can all continue to work come the new year. If the networks want to work with AFTRA so be it. I like collecting, not only a paycheck, but the hours I desperately need for my dwindling pension (thanks to the economy) and for my health benefits. Selfish, maybe, but many of us feel this way.