SAG Warns Members off Hobbit

SAG, or the Screen Actors' Guild, has sent-out a notice, warning members not to accept work on Peter Jackson's beleaguered Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit -- and they aren't the only ones. According to SAG, and several other international unions, The Hobbit's producers have refused to sign union contracts because they do not want to offer workers standard residuals, which SAG referred to as "less in every respect."

The comments I've read regarding this story elsewhere were pretty split on the union issue, which frankly surprised me. I'm on the fence where unions are concerned; I know there was a need for them many years back but, as many commenters observed, I can't help wondering if their continually increasing demands aren't somewhat to blame for some of the country's, and industries', woes.

Again, there is plenty for which unions have fought that I believe workers -- both union and -non -- should always have gotten (residuals from the Web being one such thing*), but I have to agree that when hiring non-union workers becomes the only way certain businesses, and/or business people, can survive, there's something wrong!

I'm also starting to wonder if God/Fate/Allah, whatever, simply doesn't want The Hobbit to happen...

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* The Writers' strike in 2007

© C Harris Lynn, 2010