A Message from SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris

I am pleased to announce that the SAG-AFTRA National Board appointed our longtime chief operating officer and general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland to become our national executive director and chief negotiator effective June 21. His contract will run through June 2024.

I am incredibly pleased with this appointment. Duncan is simply an extraordinary executive with the experience and expertise that this role demands. The decision of the board expresses their deep understanding and focus on what is best for SAG-AFTRA and our membership.

Duncan’s leadership and command of the issues important to SAG-AFTRA members has always led his work. Whether it is his efforts on behalf of members on the international stage, spearheading the COVID-19 return-to-work initiative, leading the union’s negotiations with the major record labels and Telemundo, championing the union’s equity and inclusion initiatives, and so much more, Duncan has been involved in nearly everything the union does. With that deep level of involvement and established relationships with industry players, he is uniquely equipped to protect the membership and take SAG-AFTRA to the next level.

The most important quality any SAG-AFTRA national executive director can have is an understanding of our union and our membership. With 20 years of committed service Duncan has helped to elevate this organization and has been intrinsic in its success. 

I have had the honor of working with Duncan for the past 13 years. I sat in the room where he negotiated the first new network television contract in over 50 years, with Telemundo, bringing health and pension, and workplace protections to performers who never had them before. I was also in the room where he negotiated the first worldwide streaming royalty for recording artists and our first music video agreement covering background. You can rest assured that our union is in good hands with Duncan. He is someone who can effectively carry out the National Board’s vision.

Please take a moment to read more about Duncan Crabtree-Ireland here.  

Join me in welcoming Duncan as national executive director and chief negotiator. I am looking forward to our future successes together.

Strength in unity,

Gabrielle Carteris
SAG-AFTRA President