If the studio decides that the strike is a force majeure sufficient to suspend an actor without pay, would that also entitle the actor to regard the it as a force majeure sufficient to justify quitting?
I would think that the fairest policy for both the producers and the crews would be to have the producers pay the crew part of their salary and put part in escrow. If production resumes, any crew who come back are paid full salary (in addition to the partial salary they already received). Any crew who leave forfeit the money in escrow. If production is canceled, the crew receive the money in escrow.
I did find the strike amusing, but I'd occasionally listen to Dennis Miller. His sidekick "Sal", and the sidekick's wife, are both WGA members, so "Sal" was out picketing after the Miller's show.
The wife was a writer for Journeyman, iirc, and callers in the know would bring her up.
But yes, it's pretty crappy that a suspension can screw up the careers and trades of everybody involved.