Hollywood Actors Join WGA in Strike Against Major Studios, Demanding Fair Treatment
In a significant development, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the union representing Hollywood actors and performers, has initiated a strike against major studios. This historic event marks the first simultaneous strike by two major Hollywood unions since 1960 and has brought the production of numerous television shows and movies to a halt.
SAG-AFTRA, representing about 160,000 members, joins the Writers Guild of America in their strike, following unsuccessful negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and major studios and streaming platforms over a new contract. The strike is primarily driven by the studios’ refusal to meet the union’s demands for equitable pay and benefits. SAG-AFTRA argues that proposed changes to the business model seek to undermine actors by benefiting studios while diminishing talent’s value.
Union president Fran Drescher blasted industry executives in an impassioned speech as the union announced a strike that began at midnight.
“Employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors that make the machine run,” Drescher said, according to CBS News. “It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history.”
As the strike officially commenced at midnight Pacific time, actors and screenwriters swiftly gathered outside Netflix’s Hollywood offices, chanting “Pay Your Actors!,” according to AP News. They have pledged to continue their protests until their demands are met. The strike’s impact extends beyond Los Angeles, however, as actors and screenwriters are expected to join picket lines at studio headquarters in New York and Los Angeles later today, intensifying their message throughout the entertainment industry.
Support for the strike has poured in from various corners of the world, too. The cast of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, “Oppenheimer,” left the UK premiere early “to write their picket signs,” according to Nolan.
The strike regulations for actors are far-reaching, prohibiting actors from engaging in personal appearances and any production-related activities to promote their work, including auditions, readings, rehearsals, voiceovers, and shooting films.
The future remains uncertain as negotiations have yet to take place, leaving the duration of the strike unknown. The outcome will ultimately define the landscape of Hollywood’s labor practices in the coming days.