AFTRA approves contract

A campaign by the Screen Actors Guild to persuade members of a smaller rival union to vote down a new contract has foundered, an outcome that could weaken SAG's leverage in its negotiations with the Hollywood studios. Members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Tuesday approved a new three-year, prime-time TV contract, dealing a blow to SAG leaders who had gambled heavily on defeating a contract they blasted as bad for actors. The AFTRA vote -- widely viewed as a barometer of support for SAG negotiators -- doesn't eliminate the prospect of a strike, but it leaves the guild with fewer alternatives. The protracted negotiations are causing uncertainty throughout Hollywood, holding up feature film productions and casting a pall over the upcoming fall TV season. A LA Times editorial says now it's up to SAG and the studios to finally bring labor peace to Hollywood.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-sag9-2008jul09,0,6462...
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