SAG-AFTRA Puts Out Message For Potential Strike Volunteers

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has not yet called for a labor strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Still, it appears to be heading in that direction. According to The Hollywood Reporter, SAG-AFTRA sent its members a message, calling for volunteers as the organization prepares for a potential film and TV strike that could start as early as next week.

The union sent out a message to members on Thursday (July 6) that they are looking for volunteers for phone banking and sign-making. The message included a survey by the union asking its 160,000 members to fill out to gauge their availability to picket and their interest in becoming member leaders in the event of a potential work stoppage.

The message reads, "SAG-AFTRA may soon call for a strike – a work stoppage, to put pressure on AMPTP companies to give us a fair deal on new TV/Theatrical Contracts." It continued, "Part of waging a successful strike is picketing, where members peacefully protest outside of struck companies’ work locations to draw public attention to our cause, shut down production, and discourage strikebreakers. We need as many volunteers as possible to be effective."

Members were also informed that they should not be worried about committing to any tasks yet and that they were not obligating themselves to help by filling out the survey. The survey has questions regarding members being able to picket in the event of a potential labor strike and which times they would prefer to demonstrate. It also included options regarding volunteer activities, such as observing neutral gates, making signs for picketing demonstrations, leading chants, becoming a strike captain, and other activities. Based on the survey, SAG-AFTRA is also looking for members to serve as Strike Captains in the role of studio lot picket coordinators, assistant studio lot picket coordinators, and gate picket captains.

As previously reported by The Blast, SAG-AFTRA announced on late Friday (June 30) that the organization agreed to extend its contract with the AMPTP until Wednesday, July 12 at 11:59 PM PST. Under the latest extension agreement, both parties are allowed to continue their negotiations "under a mutually agreed upon media blackout." The announcement also noted that neither organization would comment to the media about the negotiations during the extension period.

SAG-AFTRA agreed to the extension with the AMPTP just hours before their previous agreement was set to expire on June 30 at 11:59 PM PST. With members already voting overwhelmingly in favor of a strike authorization, the union's National Board would've been able to call a strike as early as July 1. Now, that time has been slightly delayed to July 13, and it looks like the union is now taking further steps to prep for the strike.

On June 24, SAG-AFTRA released a video with union president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. At the time, they had called negotiations with the AMPTP "extremely productive." Shortly after the release of the video, THR reported that hundreds of high-profile union members signed a letter informing leadership that they were ready and prepared to strike to achieve the best possible deal from the AMPTP. Members who had signed the letter included such major names as Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence, and Emmy Award winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is also now in its third month of a labor dispute with the AMPTP. If SAG-AFTRA members go on strike later this month, it would effectively create an industry-wide shutdown on all scripted and acted entertainment.