SAG declares strikes, halting Hollywood after lengthy talks.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Votes to Strike

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Board made a bold decision on Thursday, voting in favor of a strike. This comes after SAG-AFTRA surpassed its second negotiation deadline with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Wednesday. The negotiations, which began on June 7 with an initial deadline of June 30, were extended to July 12. AMPTP represents major players in the industry such as Amazon/MGM, Apple, NBCUniversal, Disney/ABC/Fox, Netflix, Paramount/CBS, Sony, and Warner Bros.

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The timing of this strike vote is significant, as it coincides with the union’s 90th anniversary. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher expressed disappointment in the AMPTP’s responses to the union’s proposals, stating, “The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us. Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal. We have no choice but to move forward in unity, and on behalf of our membership, with a strike recommendation to our National Board.”

AMPTP, on the other hand, expressed their disappointment in SAG-AFTRA’s decision to walk away from negotiations. They highlighted their offer of historic pay and residual increases, higher caps on pensions and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, and a groundbreaking AI proposal to protect actors’ digital likenesses.

AMPTP predicts that this strike will deepen the financial hardship for thousands, as SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 performers.

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike for over 70 days, with over 11,500 writers involved. The WGA is also in a standoff with the same group of studios, networks, and streamers, fighting for higher wages.

This marks a significant moment in history, as the last time both WGA and SAG-AFTRA were simultaneously on strike was in 1960, during Ronald Reagan’s tenure before he became president.

This is a developing story.

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