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The National Board of SAG-AFTRA voted unanimously this morning to launch the guild’s first strike against the film and television industry since the 1980s. The strike is scheduled to begin at one minute past midnight tonight, picketing all major studios.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland address a press conference at the Guild’s national headquarters in Los Angeles.
As the Writers Guild strike enters its 73rd day, it will be the first time actors and writers have gone on strike simultaneously since 1960, when Ronald Reagan was President of the Screen Actors Guild.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down late Wednesday night without agreement on the terms of a new deal. The guild negotiating committee then unanimously recommended that the board should agree to a strike. On June 5, guild members voted 98% to authorize a strike if a fair settlement could not be reached.
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Drescher, who also chairs the negotiating committee, said Wednesday night that the guild had “negotiated in good faith and endeavored to reach an agreement that adequately addressed the needs of the artists, but the AMPTP’s reactions to the key proposals of the union were abusive and disrespectful to us.” tremendous contributions to this industry. On some issues, the companies refused to get involved in a meaningful way, on others they blocked us completely. Unless they negotiate in good faith, we cannot reach an agreement.”
Crabtree-Ireland said: “The studios and streamers have made massive unilateral changes to our industry’s business model while insisting that our deals remain on hold.” That’s not how you treat a valued, respected partner and key contributor. Your refusal to meaningfully engage with our key proposals and basic disrespect for our members has brought us to this point. Studios and streamers have underestimated the determination of our members, as you are about to fully discover.”
The AMPTP issued a statement this morning saying, “We are deeply disappointed that SAG-AFTRA has decided to break off negotiations.” That is the Union’s decision, not ours. In so doing, she turned down our offers of historic pay and residual increases, significantly higher pension and health insurance caps, audition protections, shortened option periods for series, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and much more. Rather than continue to negotiate, SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will exacerbate the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods.”
Yesterday marked the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Screen Actors Guild on July 12, 1933.
In a message to members of the guild ahead of today’s board meeting, Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland discussed some of the key strike issues, saying: “Over the past decade, your compensation has been severely impacted by the rise of the streaming ecosystem. Additionally, artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to creative professions, and all actors and performers deserve contract language that protects them from having their identity and talent exploited without consent and pay. Despite our team’s commitment to serving you, AMPTP refuses to acknowledge that tremendous changes in the industry and economy have had a negative impact on those who work for the studios.”
They added, “While we have negotiated in good faith and continued to strive to reach an agreement that adequately addresses artists’ concerns, the AMPTP’s reactions to our proposals have not been adequate… Our 90-year history is a.” Proof of what is possible.” achieved through our conviction and unity. We stand together for the future of our profession.”
The guild’s contract was originally scheduled to expire on June 30th, but has been extended to July 12th to allow negotiations to continue. But last attempts to reach an agreement failed on Wednesday. The day before, SAG-AFTRA agreed to the companies’ proposal to use a federal arbitrator, but said in a strongly worded statement that it was “not certain the employers had any intention of negotiating a settlement.”
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Baffled by the AMPTP’s last-minute proposal for federal arbitration, and arguing that it would not agree to a further contract extension, the guild said, “AMPTP has betrayed our trust and the respect we have for them in this process , damaged.” We will not be swayed by this cynical ploy to secure an extension when the companies have had more than enough time to strike a fair deal.”
The strike will shut down films and television shows employing SAG-AFTRA members not only in the United States but around the world. Exceptions are soap operas, which fall under a separate contract. According to the Guild’s Global Rule One, which states: “No member shall provide services, or enter into an agreement to provide services, to any employer who has not entered into a minimum basic agreement with the union which is in full force in each jurisdiction and is effective.” in which a national SAG-AFTRA collective agreement exists. This provision applies worldwide.”
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The decision to strike comes nearly three weeks after Directors Guild members overwhelmingly ratified their own new contract, and against the backdrop of a grassroots campaign urging SAG-AFTRA to stay strong at the negotiating table and “stand by the WGA.” join the picket”. ” if a major “reorientation of our industry” cannot succeed. More than 1,700 actors, including many prominent SAG-AFTRA members, recently signed a letter to guild leaders saying they would “rather strike” and “join the WGA on the picket line” than on important issues to compromise.
The letter, which SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher also signed, said: “This is an unprecedented turning point in our industry and what might have been good business in other years just isn’t enough.” that our wages, our trades, our creative freedom and the power of our union have been eroded over the past decade. We have to reverse this trend.”
Before contract negotiations began on June 7, SAG-AFTRA laid out some of its key negotiation issues, including “economic fairness, remaining balances, regulating the use of artificial intelligence, and alleviating the burdens of the industry-wide move toward self-negotiation.”