A Message from New York Local President Ezra Knight

Dear Member,

The day is ours! Congratulations on your passionate and incredible showing of solidarity. We all held fast for 118 days on the picket lines and all over social media. Thanks to your steadfast dedication to our righteous cause, we now have a truly groundbreaking contract that boldly takes our membership into the future of our industry. Every lap around a picket line, every chant, every message of support on social media helped get us here. I and the entire Negotiating Committee are so grateful for the incredible support you showed us the entire way.

Your Negotiating Committee and your National Board are encouraging you to VOTE YES on this new contract. Some of the highlights you have already heard about include over $1 billion in new wages and benefit plan funding; “pattern-breaking” minimum compensation increases; unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will give members protection from the threat of AI; and, for the first time, a contract that establishes a streaming success bonus; substantial raises to Pension & Health caps — which will bring much needed value to our plans; and numerous improvements for multiple categories, including outsize compensation increases for background performers and critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities. 

Please make sure to join us at the upcoming New York TV/Theatrical Contracts Informational Meeting on Monday, Nov. 20 from 5-8 p.m. ET. You will have the opportunity to hear more about the new contract in detail and ask questions. Please register to join us.

If you are unable to attend the meeting or have additional questions, details and FAQs about the deal can be found here on our website.

Unionism is activism, and the past three-and-a-half months have proven that to be true again and again. I am immensely proud of us. The way we joined together in our fight for a fair contract and the simple act of advocating for our livelihoods as a united group has been one of the most affirming, invigorating and humbling experiences of my life. I hope with the end of this strike you find time for celebration, reflection and rest. Let’s hold close to the community we have built over the course of these months on the picket lines. I look forward to seeing all of you continue your engagement with our union. 

Forward together,

Ezra Knight
New York Local President