Over 3,600 members of SAG-AFTRA, including high-profile actors like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jon Hamm, Maya Hawke, Marisa Tomei, John Leguizamo, and Bryan Cranston, have collectively voiced their stance through an open letter. Under the banner “Members in Solidarity,” these actors are firm in their resolve to continue the strike rather than settle for an unsatisfactory agreement.
The letter reinforces their commitment to the union’s negotiating team, emphasizing the readiness of a majority of the guild to persist with the strike. They emphasize their willingness to endure the necessary hardships to secure a deal that justifies their sacrifices.
Now at 105 days, the SAG-AFTRA strike has significantly halted most scripted movie and TV productions across North America. The actors in the letter assert their determination, highlighting that their ongoing sacrifices in terms of work and income shouldn’t be in vain. They firmly reject any contract that doesn’t tackle crucial, fundamental issues affecting them.
Amid growing impatience among some guild members, the letter arrives at a crucial juncture in the strike. Recently, George Clooney and other A-list celebrities tried to propose alternative solutions to guild leaders to help end the deadlock. However, Fran Drescher, the current union president, dismissed these suggestions, citing violations of labor laws and a lack of feasibility.
Despite growing eagerness among members to resume work, the letter points out that in any union, a minority might resist enduring short-term losses for long-term gains. Among the signatories is Gabrielle Carteris, who served as union president before Drescher.
Negotiations restarted this Tuesday when the major studios presented a new proposal. After spending Wednesday reviewing the offer, SAG-AFTRA’s negotiators responded on Thursday. However, multiple issues still need resolving, putting additional pressure on the industry to recover the 2023-24 TV season and the summer movie lineup for 2024.Source
Read More: SAG-AFTRA Responds to Studios, as Some Progress Seen Toward Ending Strike
