A Message From Your National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator

As I look back at 2023, this has been my most memorable year in union service.

The year behind us was demanding, rewarding, exhausting and anything but ordinary.

Of course, our most consequential action was the TV/Theatrical/Streaming strike. Marching shoulder to shoulder and fighting side-by-side with SAG-AFTRA members with our allies beside us was truly a privilege, and I am deeply proud of everything we did together. The energy on the picket line was simply electric. Your commitment to our cause carried us through the longest TV/Theatrical strike in the union’s history. 

The impact of our solidarity and tenacity rippled far beyond the acting profession, or even our industry, to inspire workers across the nation and worldwide. I am hopeful that this Hot Labor Summer, which turned into a Hot Labor Year, is just the beginning, and that workers everywhere increasingly feel, know and exercise their power.

But while the strike took up much of our focus, other union business didn’t wait.  

We debuted the Cameo for Business contract, which lets members cover brand deals under a union contract and have them count toward health and pension benefits. It’s just one example of how SAG-AFTRA is continually adapting to new technology.

All the while, we have been continually negotiating improved and evolving broadcast contracts and recognizing and addressing the changes, risks and sometimes opportunities brought by rapid technological change.

Members also overwhelmingly authorized a strike on the video game contract. It has been more than a year since negotiations began, and members deserve and demand a fair contract that provides reasonable compensation, rules governing safety and essential A.I. guardrails. We also continue to negotiate our music contracts, including currently bargaining the sound recordings code and the upcoming music video agreement.

Protecting members requires work beyond the bargaining table. We continue lobbying elected officials for laws that protect members against A.I., noncompetes and much more. Staying engaged with our sibling unions around the world helps make sure our members are protected everywhere and that bad industry practices don’t gain a foothold anywhere else.

And to underscore that nothing went in a business-as-usual fashion this year, our biennial convention adjourned early, when studios agreed to an immediate return to the bargaining table. Our union’s virtual gathering was short, but sweet, and we even got to hear from first lady Jill Biden, who sent a recorded message to delegates.

We bought a new building in North Hollywood that will become our new headquarters in the future. The 118,000-square-foot building and nearby vacant lot provide plenty of room for growth and a place of our own from which to chart the course of our future.

It was an eventful 12 months, and there’s plenty more in store for 2024.

But for now, let’s enjoy this end-of-year respite and connect with our loved ones, whether they are friends, family or chosen family.

We live in a world of many distractions, but when you come down to it, what really matters is how we treat each other, and how those relationships strengthen and fulfill us. After all, unions are not just about people, they are people. Your union is you. This year demonstrated that more than ever.

From my chosen family to yours, here’s wishing you a joyous and peaceful holiday season and a fulfilling and happy new year.

Stronger together — always,

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator