Wednesday, December 17, 2008

A break from Detroit Unions

Apparently the Screen Actors Guild is discussing whether or not to Strike. They have big names on both sides, the two biggest from different sides are Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson. Tom Hanks is taking the view that striking and depriving working actors of money while they supplement their income as baristas and waiters is unfair given the current economic crisis. While Gibson and lot are looking to get their residues from internet and "new media" revenue. From the New York Times article 90% of the SAG actors live on less than 28,000 a year. One of the option from the Hanks camp is that everyone should sign the contract and wait 3 years until the economy has hopefully picked up. That way the actors who aren't filthy fucking rich can continue to survive.

I don't see how anyone in this climate could think about striking at this time. While I don't care about the financial well fare of actors of the caliber of Hanks and Gibson, I can empathize with the working actors who have to work multiple jobs to do what they love. To quote the petition signed by 130 of the biggest names in Hollywood

"We support our union and we support the issues we’re fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work."

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