Strike II: The Strikening

Just in time for the holidays, another creative union -- the Screen Actors Guild -- is talking strike. Talks have been dragging on since the summer with no real progress and it remains to be seen if the will exists among the rank-and-file members to put the town through another labor stoppage (especially in a severe economic downturn elsewhere).

As with the writers last year, the sticking point between the producers and actors is residuals for new media, e.g., the internet and digital downloads. Of course, even reaching an agreement with the AMPTP is no guarantee. The WGA filed for arbitration this week against the producers, alleging that they haven't been making any residual payments at all on downloaded works (as was negotiated and agreed to in the latest Minimum Basic Agreement with the Guild). Who could have ever seen *that* coming?

Well, maybe one guy could have.

And just because it can't be said too often, in the words of the owners themselves . . .