SAG Meeting Ends, Outcome Uncertain

The prospects for a strike-authorization vote by film and TV actors were unclear Tuesday after board members of the Screen Actors Guild attempted but apparently failed to fire their lead negotiator in a two-day meeting.

Forces inside the union had sought to have SAG's national executive director, Doug Allen, removed from talks with Hollywood producers as a dispute raged over whether the union should proceed with a strike vote, which Allen supports. A vote was originally announced in December but ultimately postponed until this week.

After a meeting that began Monday and ran into Tuesday afternoon at SAG headquarters, one participant told The Associated Press that the attempt to oust Allen had proven unsuccessful.

The actor spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was supposed to be confidential. A spokeswoman for the 120,000-member guild had no immediate comment.

Coming into the week's meeting, SAG leaders planned to send out strike-authorization ballots as early as Wednesday and count the vote within about three weeks. That would be enough time to disrupt the Academy Awards and give the guild more negotiating power with Hollywood studios.

The actors have been working without a contract since June 30. They have been pressing the major movie studios for a better deal on residual payments for productions made for Internet distribution. They also want to ensure continued benefits during work stoppages, including those that are caused by strikes by other unions.

By Ryan Nakashima