It’s strike season in Hollywood, or so it seems. With the WGA strike entering its seventh week on the picket lines, and the DGA only narrowly avoiding joining them with a last-minute deal last week, attention has now turned to SAG-AFTRA. And one thing is clear- if the bargaining parties can’t reach a deal by the June 30 expiration of their existing contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) they, too, will be on strike. Entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, with Blake & Wang P.A, explains this development.
Vote Passes at 98%
Negotiators received an overwhelming positive vote from their members for a work stoppage should negotiations fail, with fractionally less than 98% voting for a strike authorization. This doesn’t immediately trigger a strike, however. It simply means that negotiators have the power to enforce a work stoppage if their remaining time at the bargaining table fails to result in an approved resolution.
It is worth noting that 65,000 SAG-AFTRA members voted on this resolution- about a 48% turnout. However, this is a particularly large and rambling union, and it is one of the highest voter turnouts of recent years- the 2020 contract ratification only attracted 27%. It’s worth noting that this high strike authorization vote echoes that received by the WGA before their negotiations failed.
Can a Deal Be Reached?
Whether or not SAG-AFTRA will find themselves on strike is currently a million-dollar question for the industry. They have been very vocal in supporting the striking writer’s of the WGA. Yet so was the DGA, and they’ve managed to secure a future-forward contract for their members. The AMPTP also seems keen to head this strike off, which may give more negotiation power. SAG-AFTRA have only 3 weeks to seal a deal before their existing contract expires, in one of the most truncated negotiation periods of recent years. Generative AI usage and residual negotiations are expected to be the key sticking points in this round of talks.
For now, all we can do is wait and see what comes from the bargaining table- but this is one round of negotiations all eyes are likely to be watching, for sure.
Film and Television 