There has been a tremendous amount of information that has come to us from both national and our locals, and people are talking: Actors are talking [to each other], actors are talking with their family members, actors are talking with pre-eligible members. All those conversations are happening and I'm just excited for what the future is going to bring. It's been an amazing community-building experience outside of simply the strike … [and] that makes people feel important.
Courtney Rioux
SAG-AFTRA National Board Member & TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee Member
With 25 locals across the United States, SAG-AFTRA members are helping to project the union’s message of solidarity and elevate performers’ voice during the strike, as they fight for improved working conditions. Mid-sized and small locals, the union’s locals outside of Los Angeles and New York, have been especially active and vocal in their communities, with many giving testimonials to the importance of collective activism and support.
To talk more about the locals’ experiences during the strike, the SAG-AFTRA President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement aired On Strike in the Mid-Size and Small Locals on Sept. 26. Panel moderators, SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Ben Whitehair and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, were joined by SAG-AFTRA Dallas-Forth Worth Local member and the TV/Theatrical/Negotiating/Committee member Gail Crouner, New Orleans Local President Jim Gleason, New England Local President Andrea Lyman and Chicago Local-based SAG-AFTRA National Board member and TV/Theatrical Negotiations Committee member Courtney Rioux.
Gleason, Lyman and Rioux discussed how the SAG-AFTRA national strike has impacted work within their local industries, the increased allyship seen between each of their locals and other area unions, and how they believe the strike will impact community-building across the country. They also discussed how continued shifts in the industry may impact local work and how local performers can still work on their skills and find other gigs as the strike continues.
Visit sagaftra.org/videos to watch the video in full. For more strike information, news and updates, visit sagaftrastrike.org.
The views expressed by the guests are their own and not that of SAG-AFTRA. Any mention of products or services does not imply SAG-AFTRA’s endorsement.
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