Hollywood Actors Union Plans To Authorize A Strike In Case A New Deal Fails

SAG-AFTRA, the labor organization for actors in cinema and television, stated Monday night that members have voted to authorize a strike in case a new contract isn’t reached.

The Implication Of The Vote

The vote gives the union’s board the authority to declare a strike if an agreement cannot be reached, but it does not signify that the actors are on strike. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and SAG-AFTRA are poised to resume contract discussions on Wednesday when the existing agreement expires at midnight on June 30.

SAG-AFTRA members voted 97.91% in favor of a strike authorization before negotiations of the TV/Theatrical Contracts, the organization noted in the statement. Nearly 65,000 members cast votes, representing a voting percentage of 47.69% of eligible voters.

The Striking Writers

Hollywood writers are also on strike because the Writers Guild of America and ATPMP could not reach an agreement on a new contract. According to WGA officials, the absence of residuals brought on by the streaming era and AI are the significant sticking points. This strike, which started on May 2, might go on for months. The writers’ strike has halted the production of several television programs, especially late-night shows that must be written every day to air on time.

Over the weekend, the Directors Guild of America negotiated an agreement on a new contract, preventing the possibility of all three main Hollywood guilds going on strike simultaneously.

As per CNN reports, SAG-AFTRA and WGA both asserted that the DGA’s tentative labor agreement will not undermine their positions or compel them to accept the arrangement the DGA has made before they have reached their agreements.

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