SAG-AFTRA strike begins, shutting down Hollywood for the first time since 1960

On Friday morning, July 14, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) headed to picket lines. They began their strike in Los Angeles and New York after the union’s contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expired without a deal. This is the first time since 1960 that both actors’ and writers’ unions have been on strike.

According to a statement published on their website, SAG-AFTRA has declared they are asking for stronger protections against AI, increased minimum pay rates, and residual payments from streaming platforms. Actors are seeing a shift in income because their wages are not keeping up with inflation, and they can no longer rely on royalty payments.

These payments are contingent on the number of reruns a show airs. Because many new series are premiering on streaming platforms, royalty payments are no longer available. The union is also concerned with the unregulated use of AI.

They are demanding information on how AI is utilized in studio and production companies and have made this a key factor in negotiations. AMPTP has defended its talks with the union, expressing that the deal entailed pay increases and groundbreaking AI proposals, alongside other protections.

After the deadline passed to secure a new contract, SAG-AFTRA announced plans to strike on Thursday afternoon. They said it was their last resort after the AMPTP failed to resolve concerns. 

Strikes in both major cities will be picketed near Amazon, Netflix, Paramount, Warner Bros, Fox, Sony, Universal, Discovery, HBO and Sunset/Gower offices. SAG-AFTRA released an announcement last Thursday that included a list of picket schedules and informed union members outside of Los Angeles and New York that they are working to identify nationwide picket locations.

The 160,000 members of the union are not allowed to promote forthcoming projects, participate in premieres or do interviews or panels on their social media. With Emmy nominations also announced July 13, the strike will prohibit actors from campaigning for it. Unless both strikes are resolved quickly, there’s a chance the 2023 Emmys will be canceled, and the industry will remain at a halt.