News > SAG Rallies Support Against AFTRA Pact

The bitter SAG vs AFTRA dispute just got kicked up a notch as 67 actors, Jack Nicholson, Ben Stiller, and Martin Sheen among them, have thrown their support behind SAG "to back its campaign against the ratification of AFTRA's tentative pact with the studios and networks." This is in direct opposition to the 100 actors, including Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell, and Sally Field, who recently lobbied for a "yes" vote on the AFTRA ratification.

The Hollywood Reporter does a pretty good job of breaking down the intentions of both factions. Basically, AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has already made a deal with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) that SAG (Screen Actors Guild) feels is insufficient. Members of SAG must now vote between accepting the terms of the recent AFTRA deal for the whole of SAG, or declining it and going back to the negotiating table in the hopes of getting better wages, pension, health contributions, residuals for new media, and more. In short: It's a gamble for more money that some actors are willing to take while others are not.

Check out Viggo Mortensen's insomnia-fueled video testimonial in support of SAG over here. If you don't want to click, he basically calls AFTRA a "stumbling block" and says "if you don't take part, you will get screwed. And I don't intend to get screwed." Tough words from a typically soft-spoken man. Hopefully this whole thing will get worked out soon.

-DM