Opponents of SAG-AFTRA merger go to court

It's a last-gasp effort to block the long-awaited merger between the two actors unions. Opponents of the consolidation include Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Martin Sheen, and Ed Harris. They're seeking an injunction to stop a merger vote scheduled for next month. (Here's the press release.) From the LAT:

The suit alleges that the SAG board breached its fiduciary duties to conduct an actuarial impact study detailing the effects of the proposed merger on health and pension benefits of SAG members. SAG's board overwhelmingly approved a plan to merge with the smaller actors union, arguing that doing so would give them more leverage in negotiations with the studios and end years of turf wars between the two labor groups. A minority of board members, among them Asner and Harris, have maintained that the proposed combination would weaken health and pension benefits for SAG's 125,000 members, about 40,000 of whom also belong to AFTRA.

SAG leadership calls the suit a "publicity stunt" and denies that any information about the deal has been withheld. Certainly doesn't seem like a back-room deal: More than 50 informational meetings have been conducted, according to the guild, and all the merger documents have been posted.