ROBERT REDFORD - REDFORD + CROWE JOIN BATTLE TO HOLD OFF STRIKE THREAT

REDFORD + CROWE JOIN BATTLE TO HOLD OFF STRIKE THREAT

ROBERT REDFORD and RUSSELL CROWE have joined the growing number of actors urging a Hollywood union not to plan an actors strike next year (08).
The veteran actor and the Australian Oscar-winner reportedly signed their names to a petition to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) on Thursday (18Dec08), pleading with the organisation not to hold a strike vote.
The SAG is due to ballot its members next month (Jan09) to authorise industrial action in an ongoing row with leading Hollywood studios and TV networks over royalty payments.
Cardholders of the 120,000-strong SAG rejected a three-year deal offered by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) earlier this year (Jul08), and union bosses will now ballot members over a walkout which could cripple the upcoming awards season.
More than 130 stars signed an open letter - written by Danny DeVito's wife Rhea Perlman - on Monday (17Dec08) asking officials at the SAG to call off the vote.
Hollywood superstars George Clooney, Cameron Diaz and Charlize Theron have all opposed the strike ballot - insisting the current turbulent financial climate is no time "to be putting people out of work".
Now Redford, Crowe and Hannibal actress Julianne Moore have joined the opposition to a possible walkout.
More than 30 high profile actors, including Mel Gibson and Martin Sheen, to put their names to a rival letter endorsing the strike bid.