Press release courtesy of SAG-AFTRA.
National Board Unanimously Gives Chief Negotiator the Power to Declare an Immediate Strike of the Interactive Media Agreement if a Deal Cannot be Reached
LOS ANGELES (July 20, 2024) – The SAG-AFTRA National Board met this morning in a scheduled videoconference plenary and voted unanimously to delegate authority to the National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, with the advice and consent of the National Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, to call a strike effective at a time and date to be determined by the National Executive Director, Chief Negotiator, and National Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee.
If called, the strike shall be over all covered services under the Interactive Media Agreement and all SAG-AFTRA members will cease rendering all services and performing all work covered by the IMA.
The parties are continuing negotiations at this time, but remain far apart on resolution of necessary terms covering critical A.I. protections for video game performers.
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, “Our resolve is unwavering and should not be tested. Our membership voted more than 98% yes to authorize a strike of this contract should the employers not come to the table with a deal that includes our critical provisions — especially in A.I. We are steadfast in our commitment to our membership who work this contract and whose extraordinary performances are the heart and soul of the world’s most popular video games. Time is running out for the companies to make a deal.”
The board also received several leadership reports and handled various governance and administrative matters.
President’s Report
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher read the names of members who have passed away since the last meeting and particularly recognized her father, Morty Drescher, who was a member of SAG-AFTRA, in an emotional tribute to his life and legacy.
Drescher also provided updates on initiatives in progress with IMDb and next steps in the Green Council project.
Drescher recognized the unity and solidarity of membership and praised the Board’s engagement in crucial union work.
National Executive Director’s Report
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland reported on contract negotiations, organizing and operations. Crabtree-Ireland provided an update regarding ongoing negotiations on the Interactive Media Agreement and recently ratified Sound Recordings Code.
In his operations update, Crabtree-Ireland recognized the SAG-AFTRA Member Contact Center which answers thousands of emails, calls and online chats with a satisfaction rate of 98% and noted increased member engagement across all channels including the SAG-AFTRA website, social media, podcast, videos and streaming.
Crabtree-Ireland reported on the union’s legislative activities in support of the federal NO FAKES Act and state-level legislation aimed at curbing abusive uses of artificial intelligence. He also reinforced the union’s goal of working with ethical A.I. companies, pointing to the new Dynamic A.I. Audio Commercials Waiver.
He also highlighted the recent SAG-AFTRA Health Plan decision to offer infertility treatment benefits and shared that a long-pending lawsuit regarding the Return to Work Agreement was resolved in the union’s favor.
Finance Report
Secretary-Treasurer Joely Fisher and Chief Finance Officer Ariana Ozzanto reported results for fiscal year 2024. The year ended with a healthy surplus and tracking positively to budget targets.
The Board also received a report from their independent auditors at PriceWaterhouseCoopers that they have issued an unqualified audit opinion.
Contracts Report
In a session chaired by Executive Vice President Linda Powell, Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez delivered a report on the ongoing Interactive Media Agreement negotiations.
Governance Report
Chief Governance and Equity and Inclusion Officer Michelle Bennett provided an update on various governance and administrative matters.
The meeting adjourned at 5:09 p.m. PT.