De Niro Weighs In on Possible Strike

By Staff Reporter of the Sun | July 7, 2008

Robert De Niro warned Hollywood actors against taking strike action over negotiating a new contract with studio bosses, according to a report yesterday by the BBC.

"I do not think it is a good time to be striking," the 64-year-old actor said late Saturday at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, where he won a career award, adding that the issues "could be resolved" in years to come.

The main union for television and film actors, the Screen Actors Guild, is expected to respond today to the latest offer from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers following the expiration of the previous three-year contract between the two sides. The AMPTP came up with a three-year deal responding to actors' concerns about being paid for work appearing online and in other forms of new media. But SAG initially said that the offer did not look promising.

Mr. De Niro added that the general climate is not right for industrial action. "All the trade unions are affected by the strike," he said. "With the economy as it is at this time, it does not seem to be a great idea."