It has been reported that screen stars Jack Nicholson and Ben Stiller are squaring off against Tom Hanks in a Hollywood labour drama. It’s said that Jack and Ben are siding with the 120,000-member Screen Actors Guild and will appear in print ads today that urge union members to reject a proposed pay contract hammered out by a smaller sister union.
The ad that is signed by the duo and more than 50 other actors says that “We are not finished. … We believe there are issues that are at the heart of every actor’s career that remain unresolved by AFTRA,” The clock is ticking since contracts for both unions expire on Monday.
SAG, whose leadership negotiated with studio executives again yesterday, said that if AFTRA members reject the contract they won’t necessarily end up on a picket line. But AFTRA warns that turning down the deal could spark a strike like the recent 100-day writers’ walkout.
A petition sent to members and signed by Tom Hanks said that “Either our employers will lock us out, or SAG will strike. There really is no alternative if the AFTRA deal is defeated.” With News Wire Services
What do you make of all this?
source
Tom Hanks, and any other actor who has ties with producing and/or organizations like the Academy, need to sit down and shut up and let the actors negotiators hammer out a fair deal without some biased opinion from egregious hyphenates eager to get back to work, neglecting the actors whose livelihoods depend on these contracts. Who the F died and make Tom Hanks or George Clooney king? Someone needs to teach these boys that you don’t turn your backs on your union like George did when WGA didn’t give him a screen credit. These men act like 3 year olds having a tantrum when they didn’t get what they wanted and it’s all in the face on money. Like Hanks or Clooney needs any more money. Who backs a deal for actors to be sold out so cheaply? Someone get the flaming bags of dog crap ready to throw at Hanks’ house. He’s really lost a lot of favor in saying what he has. And anyone with him is not ever going to be looked at like the Hollywood gods the once were. Don’t flip the bird to your fellow actors, Tom. Either support better contracts and working conditions or shut the hell up!
Comment by Justin Space — June 29, 2008 @ 2:20 am