The Screen Actors Guild have issued a strike order effective July 14th, 2023, at 00:01am PT (8:01am BST) effectively closing down large parts of the film and TV industry until a fair agreement can be reached over higher compensation in the streaming TV era plus safeguards around the use of AI.
The National Board has declared a strike of all covered services under the Producer – SAG-AFTRA Codified Basic Agreement and SAG-AFTRA Television Agreements and their related agreements (“TV/Theatrical Contracts”) and instructs all SAG-AFTRA members to cease rendering all services and performing all work covered by the TV/Theatrical Contracts. The strike extends to productions covered by any of the following agreements, effective at 12:01 AM Pacific Time, July 14, 2023:
• Producer-SAG-AFTRA Codified Basic Agreement
• SAG-AFTRA Television Agreement (includes New Media)
• SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement for High Budget Original or Derivative Programs
• Special New Media Agreements
• Low Budget Theatrical Agreement (LBA)
• Moderate Low Budget Project Agreement (MPA)
• Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement (UPA)Members may be able to work on projects produced by non-AMPTP-related production companies under these agreements if such projects qualify for an Interim Agreement. A list of projects adhered to an Interim Agreement will be posted at sagaftrastrike.org.
Except as set forth in the Notice to Members Regarding Non-Struck Work, ALL COVERED SERVICES AND PERFORMING WORK UNDER THE TV/THEATRICAL CONTRACTS MUST BE WITHHELD, including, but not limited to:
• Principal on camera work, such as:
· Acting
· Singing
· Dancing
· Performing stunts
· Piloting on-camera aircraft
· Puppeteering
· Performance capture or motion capture work;
• Principal off camera work, such as:
· ADR/Looping
· TV Trailers (promos) and Theatrical Trailers
· Voice Acting
· Singing
· Narration, including audio descriptive services except as the services may be covered by another collective bargaining agreement referred in the Notice to Members Regarding Non-Struck Work
· Stunt coordinating and related services
• Background work
• Photo and/or body doubles
• Fittings, wardrobe tests, and makeup tests
• Rehearsals and camera tests
• Scanning
• Interviews and auditions (including via self-tape)
• Promotion of/publicity services for work under the TV/Theatrical Contracts, such as:
· Tours
· Personal appearances
· Interviews
· Conventions
· Fan expos
· Festivals
· For your consideration events
· Panels
· Premieres/screenings
· Award shows
· Junkets
· Podcast appearances
· Social media
· Studio showcases
• Negotiating and/or entering into and/or consenting to:
· An agreement to perform covered services in the future
· Any new agreement related to merchandising connected to a covered project
· The creation and use of digital replicas, including through the reuse of prior work• Performing on a trailer for a struck production or other ancillary content connected to a struck production
*To ensure compliance with the rule to withhold all covered services, members who are also employed in non-performing capacities should consult with SAG-AFTRA by emailing SAGAFTRAstrike@sagaftra.org. To the extent prohibited under applicable law, SAG-AFTRA will not discipline members for purely non-covered work done in other non-performing capacities.
In addition to the withholding of all covered services, the following rules shall apply for the duration of the strike:
1. Members must not cross SAG-AFTRA picket lines, subject to the exceptions outlined in SAG-AFTRA’s Notice Regarding Non-Struck Work.
2. Members must instruct their agent and/or other representatives to discontinue conducting negotiations on their behalf with the studios, streamers and networks for covered services.
3. Members must inform SAG-AFTRA of all strikebreaking activity by emailingSAGAFTRAstrike@sagaftra.org.
4. Members are also bound by any rules or interpretations set forth in the FAQs relating to this Strike Notice and Order. FAQs will be available shortly at https://www.sagaftrastrike.org/member-faqs.NOTICE TO NON-MEMBERS: Any non-member seeking future membership in SAG-AFTRA who performs covered services for a struck company during the strike will not be admitted into membership in SAG-AFTRA.
There will be no promotional tour for the upcoming Ahsoka series debuting on Disney+ on August 23rd, nor for any other show or film debuting during the strike period. Film and TV productions around the world will come to a halt at the end of today too.
This marks the first time since 1960 that the industry has found itself with a double strike, both actors and writers, with the latter being out since May 2nd, 2023.
We hope a fair deal can be reached quickly, allowing all parties to get back to work as soon as practically possible.
