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b"Labor Unions Demand Fair Compensation and Protection for Entertainment Industry Workers. Actors are now activated to prepare to join the writers on the picket lines for the first time in decades.
The entertainment industry is currently facing significant labor unrest as two prominent labor unions, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), take a stand to demand improved working conditions and better compensation for their members.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 professionals in the film and television industry, including actors, journalists, and radio personalities. Meanwhile, the WGA represents over 11,000 writers working in various mediums such as film, television, news, radio, and online platforms.
In 2023, the Writers Guild of America initiated a strike in order to advocate for higher pay and improved working conditions. The writers claim that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade association responsible for negotiating industry-wide contracts, has significantly reduced their average incomes by cutting their share of residuals compared to a decade ago. The strike seeks a new contract that offers higher wages, increased residuals, regulations on AI usage, guaranteed staffing minimums, and various other demands.
On the other hand, SAG-AFTRA has extended its current contract until July 12 to continue negotiations with the AMPTP. As the Writers Guild of America enters its second month on strike, both unions remain determined to achieve their respective goals.
The Writers Guild of America's demands are extensive and cover a wide range of issues. They include increased minimum compensation, higher residuals, fair compensation for TV series writing from pre- to post-production, increased contributions to pension and health plans, strengthened professional standards, fair living wages, improved health insurance, guaranteed work opportunities, regulations on AI usage for script writing, mandatory staffing, duration of employment considerations, fairer deals and contracts, provisions regarding artificial intelligence, shorter exclusive contracts, and more writers per show. This strike marks the first major action taken by the WGA in 15 years.
SAG-AFTRA's demands focus on monetary compensation and protection for its members. The union calls for better compensation and benefits from the AMPTP, as the current residual payments do not reflect the value of member contributions. SAG-AFTRA emphasizes that residual income has been undercut by inflation and the streaming ecosystem, where producers pay less compared to traditional exhibition models. Additionally, SAG-AFTRA seeks protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence and a clear definition of acceptable AI usage. Furthermore, the union highlights the need for regulation regarding self-taped auditions to alleviate the burden on performers, as they currently face an unfairly arduous casting process and bear the costs that were traditionally the responsibility of casting and production.
As the entertainment industry grapples with these labor disputes, the negotiations between the unions and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will play a crucial role in shaping the future working conditions and compensation for professionals in the industry. The outcome of these negotiations will have a lasting impact on the livelihoods of thousands of workers who contribute to the creation of captivating films, television shows, and other forms of entertainment.
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is an American labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, etc.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in 2023 to demand higher pay and better working conditions. The WGA represents over 11,000 film, television, news, radio, and online writers.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is a trade association that negotiates industry-wide guild and union contracts for the entertainment industry.

The WGA claims that AMPTP's share of such residuals has cut much of the writers' average incomes compared to a decade ago. Film and TV writers began their strike hoping for a new contract offering higher wages, more residuals, regulations on AI, guaranteed staffing minimums, among other demands.
SAG-AFTRA has extended their current contract to July 12 as they continue negotiations with the AMPTP. WGA enters their second month on strike.
The WGA's demands include:
Increased minimum compensation
Increased residuals
Appropriate TV series-writing compensation from pre- to postproduction
Increased contributions to pension and health plans
Strengthening of professional standards and overall protections for writers
Fair living wage
Health insurance
Guaranteed work
Regulation on using AI for script writing
Mandatory staffing
Duration of employment
Fairer deals and contracts
Provisions about artificial intelligence
Shorter exclusive contracts
More writers per show
Assurance on AI
The WGA's strike was the first in 15 years.
SAG-AFTRA's demands include:
Money: SAG wants the AMPTP to provide better compensation and benefits for its members.
Residuals: Current residual payments don\\u2019t reflect the value of member contributions. According to the union, they \\u201cundercut by inflation and by a streaming ecosystem through which producers pay less residual income than traditional exhibition models.\\u201d
Generative AI: The union is requesting that the AMPTP provide protections for members against misuse of artificial intelligence, as well as a definition of acceptable use of the technology.
Self-tapes: Without regulation regarding self-taped auditions, SAG alleges that performers currently face an unfairly arduous casting process. \\u201cThe shift to burdensome and unreasonably demanding self-taped auditions means that our members are working harder than ever, forced to take on audition costs that have always been the responsibility of casting and production.

Special thanks to Lou Pate for the appearance on WPHT 1210AM in Philadelphia. Follow Lou on Twitter @loupateshow.
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