SAG recommends strike authorization vote

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The Screen Actors Guild's National TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee says it recommends a strike authorization vote of the membership be taken.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers made what it called its final contract offer to SAG June 30. Other than one sidebar meeting during the summer, the two parties haven't convened to discuss a new contract. The old one expired July 1.

While SAG this week asked AMPTP to return to the bargaining table, AMPTP declined, stating it wouldn't be productive to do so "given SAG's continued insistence on terms which the companies have repeatedly rejected."

SAG's negotiating committee issued a statement that said, "A strike authorization vote of the membership is necessary to overcome the employers' intransigence ..."

The committee emphasized a strike should only be called if the board "deems it necessary and unavoidable to do so."

AMPTP's answering statement noted it had made deals with other unions "on comparable terms months ago, during far better economic times.

AMPTP said: "It is unrealistic for SAG negotiators now to expect even better terms during this grim financial climate. This is the harsh economic reality, and no strike will change that reality."