Screen Actors Guild poised to strike, anticipating further entertainment halts
Jenny Goldsberry
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A union of actors is next to vote to strike or not the first week in June, possibly joining the writers strike.
The chief negotiator for the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists urged members to vote to strike in a letter on Thursday. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is about to enter negotiations with Amazon/MGM, Apple, NBCUniversal, Disney/ABC/Fox, Netflix, Paramount/CBS, Sony, and Warner Bros. on behalf of the union on June 7.
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“To show our resolve and to enter into negotiations from the strongest position possible, your negotiating committee and National Board unanimously join in asking you to vote YES and authorize a strike,” Crabtree-Ireland wrote. “This does not mean that a strike will occur; it simply allows the National Board to call a strike if an agreement cannot be reached — and that gives the negotiating committee a strong place from which to begin talks.”
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There are 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members, which, when added to the some 11,500 writers currently on strike, could bring the entire industry to a halt. Members will have until June 5 to vote and were mailed ballots on Thursday. The Writers Guild of America saw a near-unanimous vote, with 97.85% voting to strike ahead of negotiations.
WGA writers began their strike on May 2, which was its first in 15 years. The first post-strike negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Directors Guild of America began last week.