TOM HANKS - HANKS URGES UNIONS TO AVOID STRIKE

Hollywood actor TOM HANKS has joined the calls for America's acting unions to approve a deal with studios to end the threat of an actors' strike this summer (08).
Actors are threatening walkouts at the end of June (08) if talks between the unions and major film studios fail to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions.
And now Hanks has added his name to an email petition urging members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to accept a deal offered by Hollywood chiefs.
If the union accepts the new agreement, it would be a major step forward in avoiding a strike which will cripple the U.S. film and TV industry - and put many thespians out of work.
Another actors union, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), is also negotiating a deal with the major studios - and SAG bosses are urging members of AFTRA to turn down the proposals.