Members of the Striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) marched in front of Netflix offices while the SAG-AFTRA union announced its agreement to federal mediation requested by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. However, it refused to extend the existing labor contract beyond the Wednesday negotiating deadline. This development will impact Hollywood, as actors from The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists will now join the writers on the picket line. This joint strike, which commences at midnight, is the first of its kind since 1960. Fran Drescher, the president of the actors union, expressed frustration and stated that they are being mistreated by the producers.
The strike has already had an immediate effect, as the actors from the film “Oppenheimer” left its London premiere to join the picket line. Furthermore, during the strike, actors are prohibited from promoting past projects or participating in Emmy Award campaigns. The negotiations between Hollywood performers and producers were primarily aimed at improving wages, working conditions, health and pension benefits, and addressing the use of artificial intelligence in future productions. Similarly, the Writers Guild of America, currently on strike since May, is seeking higher compensation and residuals, especially for streaming shows, as well as new regulations related to staffing TV shows with a specific number of writers.
The AMPTP, responding to the strike declaration, emphasized that they had presented a deal that offered significant pay and residual increases, improved pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, and a groundbreaking AI proposal to safeguard actors’ digital likenesses. However, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, dismissed the AMPTP’s claims, specifically challenging their AI proposal. Fran Drescher also criticized the producers and their response to the actors’ proposals.
Reports have emerged suggesting that studio producers plan to delay negotiations with writers in the hopes of causing financial hardship, forcing them to return to the bargaining table. While the AMPTP denies these reports, studio executives have been vocal about what they consider unrealistic contract requests. The ongoing strikes, coming at a time when the industry is still recovering from the pandemic, are expected to have a detrimental effect on the business and the economy, causing collateral damage to various support services. Despite this, the actors and writers remain committed to their cause.
SAG-AFTRA accuses producers of unfair negotiation practices, leading to the initiation of strikes by actors and writers. Both unions are seeking improvements in various aspects, including compensation, residuals, working conditions, and regulations regarding the use of artificial intelligence. Despite the challenges faced by the industry, the actors and writers remain resolute in their fight for a fair deal.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is a member of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
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