SAG board rebuffs actors' petition

LOS ANGELES, April 13 (UPI) -- The Screen Actors Guild's directors have rebuffed a petition signed by more than 1,400 actors seeking to limit who can vote on the next industry contract.

The petitioners, including actors Ethan Hawke and Glenn Close, want only those guild members who work on a regular basis to have a say in the new contract talks, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The current contract with top Hollywood studios is set to expire June 30.

Actor Ned Vaughn said while the board dismissed the petition Saturday, he and his fellow petitioners would not simply accept the decision.

"I don't think there is a will to address this issue seriously under the current leadership," Vaughn told the Times. "We're disappointed, but that hardly means we will go away."

Currently, any actor or extra who appears in a SAG production is eligible for membership in the union and allowed to vote on any contract.