Television Actors on Strike: SAG-AFTRA Strike Is Official

For the first time in decades, both writers and actors are on strike at the same time.

As of July 13th at noon PT, the National Board unanimously voted to approve SAG-AFTRA’s strike. This news comes after negotiations broke down without a deal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) when contracts expired on July 12, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT, making a strike imminent. 

During the press conference, which can be watched below, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, laid out exactly why SAG-AFTRA has decided to strike against the studios and streamers.

“Earlier this morning, the SAG-AFTRA National Board convened following four weeks of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Because the AMPTP remains unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers, SAG-AFTRA’s National Board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers.”

“Actors deserve a contract that reflects the changes that have taken place in the industry. Unfortunately, the current streaming model has undercut performers’ residual income, and high inflation has further reduced our members’ ability to make ends meet.”

“Additionally, industry expectations around self-tape auditions mean performers are bearing casting costs that were once the responsibility of producers. To complicate matters further, actors existentially face a threat to their livelihoods with generative AI technology. We’ve proposed contract changes that address these issues, but the AMPTP has been uninterested in our proposals.” Crabtree-Ireland continued.

Because the AMPTP is unwilling to meet the demands brought forth by the SAG-AFTRA negotiation team, the members will go on strike starting July 14 at 12:01 am and join picket lines starting tomorrow morning. 

“Due to the broad nature of our membership, this strike does not affect all contract areas, just those under the 2020 TV/Theatrical contract. Performers working in interactive entertainment, audiobooks, music, commercials, and other kinds of contract areas will not be directly impacted,” Crabtree-Ireland also stated.

The press conference then turned to SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, who had some choice words about the situation.

“It’s really important that this negotiation be covered because the eyes of the world, particularly the eyes of labor, are upon us. What happens here is important.”

“Because what’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor. By means of when employers make wall street and greed their priority, and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run,” Drescher added.

“This is a very seminal hour for us. I went in earnest thinking that we would be able to avert a strike. The gravity of this move is not lost on me, or our negotiating committee, or our board members who have voted unanimously to proceed with a strike,” she continued.

As Drescher points out in her speech, this strike will affect not only the SAG-AFTRA members but also those whose livelihoods service those who work in the industry.

If you are interested in knowing the full details, you can read the strike notice on SAG-AFTRA’s website.

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Television Writers on Strike: Writers Guild of America Strike is Official