Strike Vote Delayed for Screen Actors Guild

To strike or not to strike?

That is the question on the minds of many belonging to Hollywood's largest union, the Screen Actors Guild. According to the Los Angeles Times, "SAG Executive Director Doug Allen said that he and SAG President Alan Rosenberg agreed to push back the strike referendum until after the [union's national] board convenes a special meeting Jan. 12 to 'address the unfortunate division and restore consensus.'"

The strike vote has been a fairly controversial issue for a while now. Many big name actors including Robert Redford and George Clooney oppose the strike. On the other side stands similar high profile members of SAG including Mel Gibson and former SAG President Ed Asner. They, among many others, openly support the strike vote.

The issue? Leverage.

SAG members need leverage when negotiating their contracts with the studios. Unfortunately for those that oppose the strike vote, the studios have been "stalled for months," giving the strike supporters even more with which to fight. Their main argument for the vote is that the contract the studios offer is "unacceptable and threatens the future of actors in the digital era."

For the strike to pass, it must be approved by 75 percent of the members who vote.

According to Allen, the vote would begin immediately after the Jan 12 meeting. But moderates on the board are "expected to press for a delay in the strike vote to see whether negotiations can resume with the studios."

Just what will happen before, during, and after the Jan 12 Screen Actors Guild board meeting remains up in the air.