Actors Approve Possible Strike While Hollywood Writers Continue Protesting

The Latest Development

The SAG-AFTRA union, which represents over 160,000 film and television actors, has voted to authorize a strike just two days before beginning negotiations with the Hollywood studios on a new labor deal. With 98% of members authorizing a strike, the decision was unsurprising and coincides with the sixth week of Hollywood writers’ protests and just one day after the Directors Guild of America reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.

The actors’ president, Fran Drescher, released a statement saying, “Together we lock elbows, and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now!”

Approximately 65,000 members, representing 48% of eligible voters, cast ballots. The current agreement between actors and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios, expires on June 30.

The Reasons Behind the Move: Actors Share Similar Concerns as the Writers

Many issues concerning actors are similar to what the Writers Guild of America is fighting for, including higher wages, fair residual payments for their contribution in streaming services, and protection from using actors’ likenesses without permission with the use of artificial intelligence. The studios reportedly offered a mere commitment for annual meetings to address artificial intelligence, whereas the writers refused to make any deals that give total freedom to artificial intelligence.

The Directors Guild, on the other hand, declared on Sunday that they made a groundbreaking agreement stating that A.I. is not a human being, and that generative A.I. cannot replace what members do. However, specific details of this agreement were not disclosed.

Previous Strikes: It has Been Awhile Since Actors have gone on Strike

The previous strike by actors was in 2000, over a dispute regarding commercial pay. The strike lasted for nearly six months.

What happens next? Negotiations start Wednesday

SAG-AFTRA is confident of what the strike authorization means as negotiations start on Wednesday: “We’re obviously coming in from a position of strength, but we’re not looking to strike,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, head negotiator of the union. “We’re here to make a deal.” However, he also emphasized that they wouldn’t accept anything less than what their members are entitled to and that they were prepared to strike if necessary.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers also issued a statement declaring that “we are approaching these negotiations with the goal of achieving a new agreement that is beneficial to SAG-AFTRA members and the industry overall.”