In a move that will no doubt cause some serious cracks in SAG support among the rank-n-file, influential actors Tom Hanks and George Clooney are showing support for AFTRA, the smaller actor’s union, in its decision to make a deal with the AMPTP, a deal that SAG leadership doesn’t like. Members of AFTRA will vote to ratify the deal in the first week of July, according to Hollywood trade paper Variety.
Other actors also showing support for AFTRA are Academy Award winner James Cromwell, Emmy winner Mike Farrell, Morgan Fairchild, Tess Harper and Richard Masur. Masur’s support for AFTRA’s deal with the producers is a real blow to SAG’s cause because he was a one-time president of the Screen Actors Guild. He and the other actors on board with AFTRA are claiming that SAG, in its unbending demands, “hold(s) us all hostage.” They also are alleging that SAG’s actions will create a business shut down that the industry can ill affored at this time, especially after such a prolonged WGA strike, which lasted four months.
SAG has a membership of 120,000 while AFTRA counts 70,000 members with 40,000 of those having joint-membership in the two unions.
According to a written statement from those actors supporting AFTRA — “AFTRA has made a good deal,” the letter said. “In fact, under the circumstances, it’s a very good deal. As did the DGA, WGA and AFTRA net code deals, the AFTRA Exhibit A deal establishes important new principals and even improves on those deals.”
“AFTRA will almost certainly step back and let SAG attempt to make a deal without them,” the letter went on to say. “AFTRA will not go back to the table with SAG, no matter what the SAG leadership is saying — you just can’t spend years openly vilifying another organization, destroying their work, and still expect them to come back and work cooperatively. AFTRA will let SAG go in with its list of demands (that none of the other unions got) and hold us all hostage.”
Two other top stars, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, are also urging SAG leaders to be more open about looking at AFTRA’s deal and seeing if compromise can’t be negotiated in order to thwart a possible strike after the SAG contract expires on June 30.
These actors have nothing to lose with the lousy fine print of these contracts. They make 20 million dollars a picture, a few thousand dollars extra here and there mean nothing to them, but a strike shuts off their revenue stream.
But for a middle class actor (me), every dollar is crucial. Yes, I may or may not loose money from a strike now, but I’m losing a lot more in the long run if we keep giving in to the studios. It’s the difference between having health insurance for myself and my family.
I get that this is a pain in the ass to keep hearing about, even I don’t like it. SAG has shot themselves in the foot with the public and continues to do so every day. But the rationale behind the rhetoric is sound.