SAG-AFTRA Strike Begins After Negotiations With Hollywood Studios Fail

The Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have gone on strike on Friday (July 14) after negotiations with Hollywood studios collapsed. According to the Washington Post, SAG and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to agree on a new contract for improved wages and working conditions. 

Additionally, actors sought improved health and pension benefits while creating safeguards that would protect them from having their likeness replicated by artificial intelligence in future projects. SAG also seeks transparency from streaming platforms regarding royalties and viewership data in order to make business similar to its network television counterpart. 

During the walkout, actors will not participate in press junkets, conventions, interviews, and even Emmy campaigns — which recently announced their list of nominations. Fran Drescher, president of the actors union and acclaimed actress, spoke during a press conference on Thursday (July 14) about SAG’s decision to strike. Drescher called out Hollywood studios for their “greedy” business dealings and the inability to structure a reasonable deal.

“We are the victims here,” Fran said. “We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us… It is disgusting; shame on them. You cannot change the business model as much as it has changed and not expect the contract to change, too.”

She continued, “If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines and big business.”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers responded to the SAG strike, blaming the actor’s union for stalling contract negotiations. “[AMPTP] presented a deal that offered historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, and a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.”

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, shot back at AMPTP’s statement, honing in on their “groundbreaking A.I. proposal.”

“In that groundbreaking A.I. proposal,” he said. “They proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day’s pay, and their company should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation. So if you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again.”

SAG-AFTRA will now join the Writers Guild of America (WGA), with over 11,000 scribes currently striking for livable wages, healthcare, and an updated contract. It’s the first strike featuring both writers and actors since 1960. 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7t7XBnmWcp51ku6bD0micp6yVp8Gitc2mnKesX6iuqHnAn6urmV2owbO1yp5knKeeqb%2Bir9NmpZ6fn6m2osDIqKWsZZaWtq15kGtqbW9nZ4FyfY4%3D