Screen Actors Guild’s Strike Rift

The Screen Actors Guild's website has posted a list of performers who are willing to go through with a strike vote come next January. The list includes Ed Harris, Ed Asner, Martin Sheen, Holly Hunter, Diane Ladd, Elliott Gould, Valerie Harper, and Sandra Oh.

Their statement reads:

"I support the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors request for members to vote YES to empower the National Board to decide whether to call a TV/Theatrical contract strike, and if so, determine its timeframe.

"We must arm our negotiating committee with the collective unity and strength of the Screen Actors Guild Members."

The initial signers were (the list now has more than 1,000 signatures):

Among those listed in opposition of the call for a strike in the midst of a severe economic recession are Matt Damon, Diane Keaton, Diane Lane, Diane Baker, Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Tobey Maguire, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Cameron Diaz, Brian Dennehy, Felicity Huffman, Ewan McGregor, and Helen Hunt.

Below is their petition (originally a letter sent by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman):

"We feel very strongly that SAG members should not vote to authorize a strike at this time. We don't think that an authorization can be looked at as merely a bargaining tool. It must be looked at as what it is—an agreement to strike if negotiations fail.

"We support our union and we support the issues we're fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work.

"None of our friends in the other unions are truly happy with the deals they made in their negotiations. Three years from now all the union contracts will be up again at roughly the same time. At that point if we plan and work together with our sister unions we will have incredible leverage.

"As hard as it may be to wait those three years under an imperfect agreement, we believe this is what we must do. We think that a public statement should be made by SAG recognizing that although this is not a deal we want, it is simply not a time when our union wants to have any part in creating more economic hardship while so many people are already suffering.

"Let's take the high road. Let's unite with our brothers and sisters in the entertainment community and prepare for the future, three years down the line. Then, together, let's make a great deal."