SAG-AFTRA Members Vote to Potentially Strike if No ‘Fair Deal’ Is Reached

SAG-AFTRA members overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike if a fair deal isn’t reached by June 30.

The actor’s guild announced on Monday that the majority of its members supported the strike authorization with 97.91% of the vote ahead of TV/theatrical negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which start on Wednesday, June 7. The guild is pushing to negotiate a deal that involves restrictions on the use of AI and higher streaming residuals, among other things that threaten the livelihood of actors working in Hollywood. If a deal isn’t reached by the end of the month, it will move to strike.

“I could not be more pleased with this response from the membership. This overwhelming yes vote is a clear statement that it’s time for an evolution in this contract. As we enter what may be one of the most consequential negotiations in the union’s history, inflation, dwindling residuals due to streaming, and generative AI all threaten actors’ ability to earn a livelihood if our contracts are not adapted to reflect the new realities,” said SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “This strike authorization means we enter our negotiations from a position of strength, so that we can deliver the deal our members want and deserve.”

The vote comes six weeks after the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike, which is ongoing. The strike has brought writing duties in Hollywood to a screeching halt until it reaches a deal for writers to receive wages that better reflect television’s streaming landscape, as well as minimum writers’ room sizes and protections against AI technology.

The Directors Guild of America, meanwhile, has reached a “tentative deal” with studios on their contract, which also expires on June 30.

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Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.