For the first time in over 60 years the unions representing actors and writers are on strike at the same time.
A vote to strike was held Thursday morning, after current contracts expired at midnight Wednesday.
This comes after talks broke down between the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios and streaming services.
The union represents almost 117 thousand film, voice and television actors, journalists, radio personalities and other media professionals world wide.
However, only the film and television actors, some 65,000 people, are walking picket lines.
They join members of the Writers Guild of America who have been on strike for over two months now.
Combined the two groups represent more than 76,000 people, effectively grinding the industry to a halt.
The writers strike shutdown daily and weekly programs like “Saturday Night Live”, day and late night talk shows even game shows.
It also stopped production of scripted shows such as “The Mandalorian”, “The Last of Us” and the animated sitcom “Family Guy”, and has cancelled many in-person award shows.
For SAG-AFTRA the strike means members will not participate in production shoots, media events, and even fan conventions such as San Diego Comicon and Fan Expo in Toronto.
The strike has also received support from SAG-AFTRA’s Canadian counterpart, ACTRA, which represents 28 ,000 performers this side of the border.
News Release: “We recognize that their fight is our fight and is for the good of all performers,” said @actrapresident
Eleanor Noble as #ACTRA members across Canada pledge solidarity in support of striking @sagaftra members. #SAGAFTRAstrong #canlab https://t.co/u4tgmnJ3uS pic.twitter.com/DiqhdwjTfp— ACTRA National (@ACTRAnational) July 13, 2023
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