Actors union authorizes strike with contract expiration at the end of the month

Actors represented by SAG-AFTRA, the union representing film and television actors, have voted to authorize a strike if a new contract is not agreed, the union announced Monday night.

“In a powerful show of solidarity, SAG-AFTRA members voted 97.91% in favor of a strike authorization ahead of the TV/Theatre Contract negotiations, with almost 65,000 members casting their ballots for a percentage vote of 47.69% of eligible voters”. the union said in a statement.

The vote does not mean the actors are on strike, but it does authorize the union board to call a strike if an agreement cannot be reached. The current contract between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) expires at midnight on June 30 and negotiations will start on Wednesday, the union said.

“Together we stand together and in unity build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and broadcast business model, and brings ALL of our concerns for protections and benefits into the now. Bravo SAG-AFTRA, we stand for win it,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, known for her role on the sitcom “The Nanny,” said in a statement announcing the authorization vote.

SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said in a statement that some of the union’s main concerns are that “inflation, declining waste due to transmission and generative AI threaten the actors’ ability to earn a living if our contracts are not adapted to reflect the new realities”.

Hollywood writers are currently striking after the Writers Guild of America and the ATPMP could not agree on a new contract. WGA officials have also cited AI and a lack of waste brought on by the streaming era as major sticking points. That strike began on May 2 and could last for months.

The Directors Guild of America was able reach an agreement on a new contract over the weekend, avoiding the possibility of all three major Hollywood guilds attacking at once.