TV, radio actors vote on new contracts

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Renita Jablonski: Almost since Hollywood’s writer’s strike ended, there’ve been rumblings about another strike. This time, it’s actors who could walk off TV and film sets. Whether that happens could be decided today. Votes of TV and radio artists will be tallied on a new contract with studios. Rico Gagliano reports.

Rico Gagliano: The performers’ union, AFTRA, has negotiated with producers for months. AFTRA president Roberta Reardon thinks the work will pay off this afternoon.

Roberta Reardon: We count the ballots for the ratification of our primetime television contract. And we have every reason to expect that it will be approved by the membership.

But there’s another Hollywood actors union — the Screen Actors Guild, aka SAG. They don’t like the contract. They want actors to earn more when their work appears online. So SAG has urged the 44,000 members it shares with AFTRA to vote against the deal.

Cynthia Littleton has been reporting the story for Variety:

Cynthia Littleton: SAG has said the AFTRA ratification vote will be a referendum. If it passes by a slim margin, expect SAG leaders to say, “most working actors don’t like this deal, studios have to go back to the table.”

If they did, show biz would remain in what Littleton calls “limbo.” At least for a couple of weeks. The time it takes for SAG membership to authorize a strike.

In Los Angeles, I’m Rico Gagliano for Marketplace.