Watching Studio60

In this corner, Josh Lyman, Donna Moss, Sam Seaborn, Joey Lucas, Kate Harper, Senator Arnold Vinick, and Mrs. Landingham.

In the other corner, President Josiah Bartlet.

Lots of West Wing names on the list of those opposing the call from the leadership of the Screen Actor’s Guild to authorize a strike. Bradley Whitford, Janel Maloney, Rob Lowe, Marlee Matlin, Mary McCormack, Alan Alda, and Kathryn Joosten are among those who signed on to a letter stating, in part, “We feel very strongly that SAG members should not vote to authorize a strike at this time. We don’t think that an authorization can be looked at as merely a bargaining tool. It must be looked at as what it is — an agreement to strike if negotiations fail. We support our union and we support the issues we’re fighting for, but we do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work.”

Martin Sheen, though, is on the other side of the issue, as one of 31 “solidarity signers” lending his name to a statement that says “I support the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors request for members to vote YES to empower the National Board to decide whether to call a TV/Theatrical contract strike, and if so, determine its timeframe. We must arm our negotiating committee with the collective unity and strength of the Screen Actors Guild members.”

It’s certainly true that if a union doesn’t have the power to strike, it doesn’t have much power at all. The faction opposing a current strike is proposing the threat of one in three years, but that’s not going to help much around the negotiating table now.

But I think the anti-strike-authorization faction has a point that this is not a time when a strike is going to be met with much sympathy by anyone. Besides the fact that the economy’s in sad enough shape already without the entertainment industry and its support services shutting down, the injuries to viewing habits inflicted by the writers’ strike still haven’t healed. You don’t want to get people out of the habit of commiting themselves to television shows for good.

Would you have patience for another strike? Do you think there needs to be one whether viewers can stand it or not? Tell whether you side with Josh or the president in the comments.