While not official quite yet, an actors strike seems imminent. The extended deadline for negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers passed last night with no deal being made.
The SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend to the National Board a strike of the Producers-SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical/Streaming Contracts which expired July 12, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT. They have called for a meeting with the National Board this morning to vote on a strike order.
“After more than four weeks of negotiations, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — the entity that represents major studios and streamers, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros Discovery — remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on the key issues that you told us are important to you. Because of this, we’ve called for a meeting with our National Board this morning to vote on a strike order,” Fran Drescher, President of SAG-AFTRA and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, said in a statement to members.
“As you know, over the past decade, your compensation has been severely eroded by the rise of the streaming ecosystem. Furthermore, 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 dedication to advocating on your behalf, the AMPTP has refused to acknowledge that enormous shifts in the industry and economy have had a detrimental impact on those who perform labor for the studios,” the statement continued.
Drescher and Crabtree-Ireland also noted that the organization has “engaged in negotiations in good faith and remained eager to reach a deal that sufficiently addressed performer concerns,” but that “the AMPTP’s responses to our proposals have not been adequate.” The union will hold a press conference today, Thursday, July 13, at noon PT, following the conclusion of the National Board vote.
Meanwhile, the WGA (Writers Guild of America) also remains on strike. It is the first time in decades that Hollywood’s writers and actors have been on strike simultaneously. The last time that happened was in 1960.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.
SAG-AFTRA brings together two American labor unions: Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
This article first appeared on Tell-Tale TV.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley is the Editor-in-Chief of Eulalie Magazine. Favorite Movies: Sunset Boulevard, Garden State, Modern Times. Favorite TV Shows: Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Grey's Anatomy. Favorite Books: Interview with the Vampire, Dracula, City of Glass.
