SAG-AFTRA members on strike
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A group of SAG-AFTRA strike leaders organized an open letter signed by thousands of union members in apparent solidarity amid the cast strike, saying, “We’re not coming to cave now.”
Signatories to the letter Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Cynthia Nixon, Leslie Odom Jr. Demi Moore, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jon Hamm, Mark Ruffalo, Jonathan Graf, Kate Walsh, Chelsea Handler and more. The Hollywood Reporter The stars’ representatives have been approached for comment.
“In June, before we went on strike, a large group of members signed an open letter to our leaders saying we would rather go on strike than take a bad deal,” the letter read. “Now, more than 100 days into our strike, that’s still true. As tough as it is, we’d rather be on strike than take a bad deal.
The letter comes as SAG-AFTRA renegotiates with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers this week, after the union has been on strike for more than 100 days. On Thursday, SAG-AFTRA presented a “comprehensive counter” to company leaders and will return to the bargaining table on Friday, the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatre Negotiating Committee. told union members On Friday.
Signatories were able to sign the letter through a Google Form, but only the organizers knew the names of the signatories until the full list was made public Thursday night.
THR It was previously reported that a draft of a very different letter from the group of A-listers, frustrated by the pace of contract talks, was circulating. The draft, which began before SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP went to the bargaining table this week, revealed concerns about SAG-AFTRA’s leadership. However, the letter was filed as negotiations resumed on Tuesday.
The full letter from SAG members, released Thursday, follows.
“To our SAG-AFTRA negotiating team:
In June, before we went on strike, a large group of members signed an open letter to our leaders saying we would rather go on strike than take a bad deal.
Now, our strike is more than 100 days and it is still true. As hard as it is, we’d rather stay on strike than take a bad deal.
We’re not that far into the cave now. We are out of work, out of pay, and have not gone on pickets for months to give up everything we fought for. We cannot and will not accept a deal that fails to address the critical and existential issues we all need to fix.
In any union, there will always be a minority unwilling to make temporary sacrifices for the greater good. But we who voted overwhelmingly to authorize this strike still stand united, prepared to strike however long and endure whatever it takes to win an agreement worthy of our collective sacrifice. We know our union leaders are doing everything they can to achieve that goal as they negotiate in good faith with companies that will protect us and our fellow actors, now and for generations to come.
Everything we have as a union – every minimum wage, health and pension benefits, residuals, royalties and workplace protections – has been won by the power of our members; the power of our unity; The power to stand together to demand what is right, what is fair, and what we deserve. Our faith, support and strength are behind you now.
One more day. A day is strong. As long as it takes.“
Abid Rahman contributed to this report.
