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While SAG and AFTRA have never been on the same page during their negotiations with the AMPTP - as evidenced by SAG still trying to strike a compromise weeks after AFTRA has already settled - the relationship has never been hostile. Until now. Variety reports that SAG has launched a campaign to persuade its 44,000 members who also hold AFTRA cards to defeat ratification of AFTRA's primetime deal. The move has prompted AFTRA to threaten to take SAG to court for interfering in its internal affairs.

On Saturday, SAG resumed negotiations with the majors while simultaneously holding a "solidarity" rally at the guild headquarters in Hollywood. AFTRA president Roberta Reardon saw the move as a facade for an anti-AFTRA rally. "'I think SAG should be concentrating on making a deal. And It's disingenuous of SAG to call it a "solidarity" rally when it's clear that it will be an anti-AFTRA rally.'" Still, SAG leaders have not taken steps to vote for a strike authorization despite there still being a half dozen major gaps - including DVDs, product integration, mileage pay, and new media - that leave SAG "far apart from the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers." The majors have continuously stated they are unwilling to give SAG a significantly better deal than AFTRA received.

SAG president Alan Rosenberg says AFTRA is partly to blame for the lack of progress because it won't agree to delay the ratification vote. "'We believe that the tentative AFTRA deal and its pending ratification -- coming as it does within several days of SAG’s June 30 contract deadline -- is a distraction that the employers are using to delay significant progress in our negotiations. Delaying ratification of the AFTRA contract could benefit all actors. AFTRA members too would benefit by increased leverage in our negotiations and through any favored-nations clauses SAG might be able to achieve that would provide improvements in the AFTRA deal.'”

Even more frightening is the expected support of the WGA. When the WGA went on strike last year they received extensive support from SAG. SAG scheduled a townhall meeting Wednesday at the Harmony Gold Theater and the WGA issued a call to its members to attend. "'“We all remember how SAG members turned out in numbers to picket, march and rally with us during our contract campaign and strike,' the WGA said. 'Now it’s our turn to be there for them.'”