As the WGA writers’ strike barrels into its second month, with AMPTP continuing to tell studio employees, consumers, and investors that their workforce doesn’t deserve a fair wage or dignity, SAG-AFTRA has come through in the clutch. SAG-AFTRA members voted to approve of a strike authorization, with a whopping 97.9% in favor of a strike, per Variety. The news comes after a dismal showing from the Directors Guild of America, who seemingly used the WGA’s walkout to its benefit and secured a “historic” deal with studios and streamers.
With 47% of the membership voting, roughly 65,000 members, the authorization marks a massive blow to the AMPTP, which continues to allow this strike to happen, delaying and disrupting productions and telling the entertainment community that billionaire CEOs are the most critical parts of the business. But as any Boston University graduate could tell you: These guys stink.
“The strike authorization votes have been tabulated and the membership joined their elected leadership and negotiating committee in favor of strength and solidarity. I’m proud of all of you who voted as well as those who were vocally supportive, even if unable to vote. Everyone played a part in this achievement,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now! Bravo SAG-AFTRA, we are in it to win it.”
SAG-AFTRA represents 160,000 performers who will cease performing if demands are not met. Productions have already slowed on numerous high-profile projects, including Severance, the J. Lo movie Unstoppable, and Marvel’s much-hyped Blade reboot. Of course, the studios could get these projects back on track by paying their writers. That’s right. Corporate greed is the only thing between audiences and a new Blade movie. Every MCU fanatic in the world should be furious that Disney, of all companies, would allow this to happen.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP begin on Wednesday, with the union’s contract expiring at the end of the month. SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher has expressed solidarity with the WGA, and the union’s executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said that they would not be bound by the deal struck with the DGA. So unless the studios want A.I.-generated movies in which all the characters have a disgusting number of fingers and teeth and the dialogue makes no sense because generative A.I. sucks at making art, they might want to bring the writers back to the bargaining table.
