Meryl Streep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jennifer Lawrence, and many other high-profile actors have joined forces in a letter to the leadership of SAG-AFTRA, expressing their preparedness to go on strike in order to secure a “transformative deal.” This coalition of A-listers, which also includes Lena Waithe, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley, and Quinta Brunson, believes that 2023 is an unprecedented inflection point in the entertainment industry and that the current negotiations warrant more substantial changes than what has been offered so far.
The letter, which circulated on Tuesday, emphasizes the concern that SAG-AFTRA members may be willing to make sacrifices that the leadership is not. The actors feel that their wages, craft, creative freedom, and the power of their union have been undermined over the past decade, and they believe it is crucial to reverse these trends.
This message of caution comes just days after SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced that talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have been “extremely productive” thus far. With the expiration of the union’s TV/theatrical contracts looming on June 30, both parties are under pressure to reach a deal soon.
The signatories of the letter specifically highlight their interest in initiating a “seismic realignment” of minimum pay rates, streaming residuals, and exclusivity provisions. They also call for the transformation of self-taped audition practices and the regulation of artificial intelligence, ensuring fair compensation when their work is used to train AI systems. These priorities were previously communicated to members in May.
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While expressing their appreciation for the negotiating committee’s efforts, the actors emphasize their willingness to support a strike in order to achieve their goals. They assert that this is not a moment for compromise and that the eyes of history are on all of them. If the leadership is unable to secure the changes and protections they believe are necessary, they urge SAG-AFTRA members to join the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on the picket lines.
Prior to the start of negotiations, nearly 98 percent of voting SAG-AFTRA members authorized a potential strike, providing their representatives with a powerful bargaining chip. This letter from prominent union members and major stars further strengthens the union’s position, demonstrating that notable talent stands in solidarity with the potential strike.
In conclusion, the actors and supporters of this letter are committed to fighting for a transformative deal that addresses the concerns and aspirations of SAG-AFTRA members. They believe that the current negotiations represent a crucial moment in the industry’s history and are determined to secure the changes and protections they believe are necessary for the future of the entertainment industry.
