Members of SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, voted 97.91% to authorize a strike if the guild fails to reach a new contract with studios and streamers by the end of the month.
Nearly 65,000 members cast their ballots, representing 47.69% of the guild’s eligible voters, SAG-AFTRA announced Monday evening on its website.
The union begins contract negotiations with the Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Wednesday, June 7.
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The syndicate’s current contract covering movies and TV shows expires at midnight on June 30.
If no agreement is reached, the guild could call a strike. Broadcast journalists, who are also represented by SAG-AFTRA, would not be included in the strike as they have separate contracts.
“As we enter what could be one of the most important negotiations in union history, inflation, dwindling residuals due to streaming, and generative AI all threaten players’ ability to earn their living. lives if our contracts are not adapted to reflect the new realities,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “This strike authorization means we are entering our negotiations in a position force, so that we can deliver the deal our members want and deserve.”
Contract talks begin just over a month after members of the Writers Guild of America went on strike after contract talks with the AMPTP broke down.
Many SAG-AFTRA members joined striking writers on the picket line in a show of solidarity.