SAG Dealt a Serious Blow by AFTRA's Approval of Contract

After weeks of campaigning against the current deal offered by studios, the Screen Actors Guild's efforts to get members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to vote down the current contract offer have failed, Reuters reports.

On Monday, AFTRA approved a new three-year, prime-time television contract by 62.4 percent of the union's membership.

This vote, which was considered to be a test to determine the extent of SAG's support, could severely weaken SAG's position in its ongoing negotiations with Hollywood studios. SAG had campaigned against the contract, claiming that it was bad for actors.

The affirmation of the contract by AFTRA does not eliminate the possibility of a strike but it does complicate matters and leave SAG with fewer alternatives. It is still possible for SAG to seek a vote from members authorizing a strike; however, this possibility is rather risky considering the shaky economy and the mixed results of the Hollywood writers' strike in February.

Actor and former SAG President Ed Asner reacted to the vote during an interview on Tuesday.

Asner said, "The town has been fairly terrorized this year and actors don't have more guts than the average person. They realize the tremendous cost. Probably, if push came to shove, most would vote against it. I myself would vote for it, but I would be in the minority as I usually am."

Despite the result of the vote, SAG has declared a victory after a fashion. Given that another AFTRA television contract was ratified by more than 90 percent of voting members, the 62.4 percent ratification vote was well below the norm.

According to Jonathan Handel, a Los Angeles-based entertainment industry attorney, SAG is unlikely to back down any time soon. Handel said, "SAG will be emboldened by the low yes vote achieved by AFTRA, and is likely to resist compromise."