SAG-AFTRA Press-Release – 29 September 2023
The International Federation of Actors (FIA) executive committee meeting today in Istanbul, issued a global declaration of support for striking SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) members in the United States.
SAG-AFTRA has been on strike for 78 days against the multibillion-dollar companies represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) — which include Amazon/MGM, Apple, Disney/ABC/Fox, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount/CBS, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery (HBO), and others
This declaration of international solidarity makes it much more difficult for the struck companies to circumvent the strike by seeking to engage talent in foreign jurisdictions. FIA introduced the resolution as SAG-AFTRA continues its fight to protect performers and ensure the viability of a sustainable career. The resolution demonstrates powerful unity among FIA’s 90 member organizations worldwide, and pledges “unwavering solidarity with SAG-AFTRA.”
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said , “We are deeply grateful for this powerful show of global support from FIA, its affiliate unions and associations around the world, and all of the international labor organizations that stand with us in solidarity and on the picket lines. This Declaration sends a clear message to the studios and streamers: performers around the world stand united with SAG-AFTRA’s demands for fairness, justice, and respect. Actors everywhere will hold the line against abusive uses of artificial intelligence and economic disrespect to the creative talent that make their businesses possible.”
“The International Federation of Actors, along with its affiliates worldwide, stands united with SAG-AFTRA and its 160,000 members in their resolve to fight for a fair contract” said FIA General Secretary Dominick Luquer. “This is not just about performers in the USA. It’s about the respect that all our members deserve the world over when they work for these media corporations. It is deeply disheartening that fundamental requests such as a fair living wage, a modern residual model for the streaming of content, and safeguards against the unfettered use of AI technology may be dismissed as unreasonable and unaffordable when considering the stratospheric salaries they are paying their executives. FIA and its affiliated unions will continue to prevent these companies from seeking to hire performers elsewhere until they acknowledge and accept these rightful claims.”
The FIA executive also issued declarations in support of the locked out Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), and Turkish Actors Union (AUT). FIA President Gabrielle Carteris and representatives of its member organizations including SAG-AFTRA, ACTRA, AUT and dozens of others will appear at a press conference in support of Turkish actors scheduled for Saturday in Istanbul.
SAG-AFTRA resumes its negotiations with the AMPTP on Oct. 2. The union has been on strike for 78 days.
Read the FIA Declaration in Support of SAG-AFTRA here.
—
(Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, recording artists, singers, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond.
Visit sagaftra.org and follow @sagaftranews for breaking news from SAG-AFTRA. Visit the SAG-AFTRA Strike Site.
CONTACT: Pamela Greenwalt, SAG-AFTRA
Tel: +1-323-440-2892
