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Rabat – A union representing 160,000 actors have joined the picket line in Hollywood, where writers are demanding better compensation and protections against the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their profession.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has officially voted to go on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP) following failed negotiations with the AMPTP. The move is a first since the last major joint strike in 1980. The news resulted in numerous ongoing Hollywood TV and film productions coming to a halt or shutting down completely as per the labor union’s rules.
The strike order is the result of a meeting of the National Board of the SAG-AFTRA, the American labor union representing 160,000 employees in the entertainment industry. The actors union will now join writers unions in their strike against the AMPTP, the trade association representing over 350 American TV and film production companies such as Netflix and Universal Pictures.
Following the results of the board’s vote, union’s members are already on the move. Movie director Christopher Nolan told Variety that the cast of ‘Oppenheimer’ has abruptly left the UK premiere’s red carpet minutes before the movie’s screening on July 13. “Look, if it’s called now, everyone’s going to walk obviously in solidarity … Once the strike is officially called, [we’re walking].” said actor Matt Damon in an interview with Variety.
The SAG-AFTRA has worked relentlessly for the past four weeks to discuss contract renewals with the AMPTP resulting in failed negotiations and the union’s proposals being rejected by the trade association. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland commented that the association remains opposed to “offer a fair deal on the key issues that are essential to SAG-AFTRA members” in regards to the proposals made by the labor union.
In an article from the New York Times, the suggestions that the SAG-AFTRA made to the trade association include demands for higher pay, an increase in residual payments from major streaming companies, and adjustments in regard to artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in the entertainment industry.
The SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee quickly made the decision to inform its National Board of the actions to be taken. “In the face of the AMPTP’s intransigence and delay tactics, SAG-AFTRA’s 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.: the union announced.
