SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland Expresses Hope for Positive Outcome in WGA Strike Negotiations.
In a recent Instagram Live session, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, shared his optimism regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The two committees resumed discussions after a nearly month-long hiatus.
Crabtree-Ireland emphasized that a potential resolution to the writers’ strike would be a positive indicator for actors currently on strike. He noted, “It would certainly be a good sign if the WGA, studios, and streamers can reach a deal. It will mean that the studios and streamers have made moves in the same direction that we are looking for them to make moves.”
While acknowledging the similarities in objectives, Crabtree-Ireland also pointed out the distinctive needs of actors compared to writers, emphasizing that their contract proposals would naturally differ. He stated, “Of course, our contract proposals are a little different — being an actor is different than being a writer. So I can’t say for certain what that means other than it will be a reason for optimism if the WGA can reach a deal with the studios and streamers.”
SAG-AFTRA members joined WGA members on picket lines outside Netflix headquarters earlier in the year and are now preparing for their own strike.
The resumption of negotiations between the writers’ guild and the AMPTP, attended by prominent CEOs including Bob Iger of Disney, David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery, and Donna Langley of NBCUniversal, offers a glimmer of hope as the WGA strike enters its fourth month. Writers on the picket lines expressed cautious optimism about a potential resolution.
Simultaneously, SAG-AFTRA is engaged in negotiations with video game companies. The board is conducting a vote for a strike authorization in response to issues with companies such as Activision Productions, Limelight, and Epic Games, among others.
Crabtree-Ireland underscored the similarities between the concerns of voice actors and performance capture artists in the video-game industry and those of members working on TV, theatrical, and streaming contracts. He stated, “The issues affecting the voice actors and performance capture artists who bring the multibillion-dollar video-game industry to life are very similar to the issues affecting our members who work on the TV, theatrical, and streaming contracts. Those video-game industry employers continue failing to meet our members’ needs in terms of compensation, safety, and protection from AI technology.”
