I recently bemoaned the unfortunate conflict between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Well, little did I know that it could get worse:

Attempting to throw a monkey wrench into a new contract between the Hollywood studios and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the rival Screen Actors Guild is poised to wage a campaign to scuttle the pact that it contends sells actors short.

The unusual move, which is deepening divisions within the already notoriously fractious actors union, probably stands little chance of success. But it illustrates the awkward position that SAG finds itself in as a deadline looms to negotiate a new contract before its current one expires June 30.

SAG’s national executive committee on Friday voted 13 to 10 in favor of launching an "educational campaign" to oppose the AFTRA accord unless the federation agreed to hold off on its membership vote until SAG completes its own negotiation. AFTRA officials summarily dismissed the plea, calling it "unprecedented interference in the internal affairs of another union."

    Look, you can have a difference of opinion but this is not going to lead to any good solution. What this internal fight points out is the necessity for merger of the two unions–something that was tried but failed on a very close vote. Maybe the internal fighting, though not healthy in the short-term, will lead to a re-examination, once passions have cooled, that lays bear the inadvisability of the continued existence of the two organizations as separate entities. Hey, a guy can hope.