TORONTO (CP) - The union representing 21,000 of Canada's film, television and radio workers went on strike Monday in a dispute that centres on how actors should be paid for performances shown on cellphones and the Internet.
An ACTRA spokeswoman said Monday there would be no picket lines in Toronto, as productions shooting in Toronto have signed agreements with the union.
ACTRA was set to hold a news conference at 11 a.m.
Negotiations aimed at averting a strike shut down Monday with no new talks scheduled.
"Our negotiating team has just broke off talks - there's been no resolution as of yet," Austin Schautz, the union vice-president of finance, told Toronto radio station AM640 early Monday. "I haven't heard whether or when they'll be going back to the table."
ACTRA members in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba had walked off the job at midnight, after instructions from the union not to report for work.
Richard Hardacre, the national president of ACTRA, said late Sunday that members were only told to report for work if they're working for producers who have been engaged with ACTRA on an interim agreement.
Those productions, such as "the Rick Mercer Report" and the "Royal Canadian Air Farce," were not expected to be disrupted by a strike.
After receiving an overwhelming 97.6 per cent strike mandate from its membership in December, ACTRA was in a position to strike as of 12:01 Monday morning.
ACTRA - the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists - is opposed to having their work distributed on new media, such as in promotional materials, without being paid more.
"We are the faces that are out front," said Schautz.
"It's our fair share of the product that goes on the air."
Hardacre earlier said that while "nobody wants a strike," the union will have to strike if "forced to concede on a major area."
During a strike, performers will still be allowed to work on commercials and student films.
ACTRA is set to strike in Quebec on Wednesday, with other provinces following from there.
Copyright © 2007 Canadian Press