Re: Strike Nedir
Gerarda Zmuda
Along with the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike (which ended on September 27, 2023),[5] it was part of a series of broader Hollywood labor disputes. Both the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes contributed to the biggest interruption to the American film and television industries since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 just three years prior.[6] In addition to standing in solidarity with the writers, the strike was led by changes in the industry caused by streaming and its effect on residuals, as well as other new technologies like AI and digital recreation. It marked the first time that actors initiated a labor dispute in the U.S. since the 1980 actors strike and the first time that actors and writers have walked out simultaneously since 1960.
Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP took place from October 2 to October 11 and resumed on October 24. On November 8, 2023, a tentative deal between the two sides was reached. Striking ended on November 9 at 12:01 a.m. PST.[7][8][9][10] On December 5, the SAG-AFTRA membership officially ratified the contract with over 78% of members voting in favor of it.[11][12][13][14]
Weeks after the Writers Guild of America went on strike in May 2023, SAG-AFTRA's national board of directors unanimously agreed to pursue a strike authorization vote ahead of a renewed contract; SAG-AFTRA approved a new contract in 2020 that would expire on June 30, 2023.[25] The union stated that it did not intend to strike but that it sought to give its negotiators "maximum bargaining leverage" ahead of negotiations on June 7, 2023.[26] SAG-AFTRA cited several issues in negotiations, including "economic fairness, residuals, regulating the use of artificial intelligence and alleviating the burdens of the industry-wide shift to self-taping", and told its members that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers would cut actors' salaries to "pad corporate profits".[27] In a video released on May 30, 2023, SAG-AFTRA members Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jean Smart, and Kumail Nanjiani appealed to members to vote to strike but reserved that a vote for strike authorization was solely a bargaining tool, not a vote to order an immediate strike.[28]
The AMPTP agreed to a "last-minute request" for mediation from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on July 11, 2023; congressional and public affairs director Greg Raelson stated that a federal mediator would be present the following day. In turn, SAG-AFTRA accused the AMPTP of attempting to extend negotiations beyond the deadline and reiterated that it would not continue negotiating after July 12, 2023.[36] A number of high-profile actors, including Lawrence and Malek, then affirmed their support again by signing a letter urging the union to take aggressive measures and stating their willingness to strike.[37] It was later reported by Variety that mediation collapsed after AMPTP President Carol Lombardini insulted negotiators by telling them to "be civilized" and avert a strike, which prompted a walkout by union negotiators.[38] In response to Lombardini's comment, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher reportedly said to AMPTP negotiators "Now you've got two unions on strike" as they left.[38]
On July 12, a statement was made announcing the construction of a Fast & Furious-themed roller coaster;[39] the date of the announcement coincided with the deadline SAG-AFTRA gave before ending negotiations with the AMPTP, and construction began by the strike's start. This added to the construction that began on May 8, shortly after the WGA began protesting on-site, obstructing Lankershim Boulevard along the west end of the park's campus and parking lot and further restricting sidewalk access.[40] The sidewalks in front of Gates 1, 2, 4, and 5 would be scaffolded-off and demolished in this construction.[41][40] Despite prior advice from the Los Angeles Police Department's Labor Relations Unit to place K-rails from River Road to Universal Hollywood Drive for the safety of protesters and other pedestrians since WGA protests as early as June 6, none were placed by July 18, by which time reports of two protesters being struck by vehicles had been made.[41][40]
On July 13, with no agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee voted unanimously to recommend a strike to the union's national board.[42] The national board held a vote officially approving the strike.[43] SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher announced the strike would begin at midnight on July 14;[44] the cast of Oppenheimer left the film's London premiere ahead of the announcement to walk out.[45] Joined by chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland,[46] Drescher asserted that the strike was a reluctant last resort[47] and described the proposed contract as "moving around furniture on the Titanic."[48] In the press conference, Crabtree-Ireland alleged that the AMPTP attempted to include a proposal that allowed studios to, for a one-time fee equivalent to one day's pay, have exclusive and indefinite rights to extras' likenesses, including the use of generative AI to replicate them on screen.[49][50] Media commentators likened this to the film The Congress (2013) and the Black Mirror sixth series episode "Joan Is Awful" (2023).[51][52] However, AMPTP denied these claims, stating that their proposal would allow usage of these replicas within the specific film for which they are employed, and that any other uses would require consent and further compensation.[49]
On July 17, the Ficus trees on Barham Boulevard's sidewalk outside Gate 8 were pruned almost entirely of their leaves.[59] Pine trees on the opposite side of Barham were not touched, nor were a row of pepper trees behind the fence near the production gate. The pruning was described as a vindictive action because the trees had been being used by protesters as shade from the over 90 F (32 C) summer temperatures of Southern California. The pruning was also described as illegal, on the grounds that the trees are owned by the city and that Los Angeles' tree ordinances prohibit trimming them between July and September.[60][61][62][63] NBCUniversal issued a statement to Deadline Hollywood denying that the trimming was done out of malice, claiming that they trim the trees outside the park in July annually for safety, and describing it and the obstructive construction hazards as "unintended challenges for demonstrators".[41] NBCUniversal was fined US$250 for violating tree laws and destroying city property.[64]
Also on July 17, SAG-AFTRA released a twelve-page statement outlining the breakdown in negotiations, and terms they found unacceptable, including but not limited to a five-percent salary increase for actors, while the union had asked for eleven percent.[65] The AMPTP released a counter-statement, highlighting that its actions were being "deliberately distort[ed]" and that SAG-AFTRA had chosen to pass over "the most lucrative deal we have ever negotiated... valued at $318 million over the three-year term of the contract."[66][67]
On July 18, NBCUniversal was accused of conducting business at Universal Studios Hollywood to deter or endanger the protesters and infringe on their rights to protest.[41][68] In response, SAG-AFTRA and WGA issued a joint grievance to the National Labor Relations Board against NBCUniversal, accusing the company of interfering with their freedom to picket and endangering their members.[69] Writers Guild of America West additionally filed a petition to the AMPTP in response to NBCUniversal's failure to install barriers to protect WGA and SAG-AFTRA protestors from the risk of being forced into traffic.[41][40][70] NBCUniversal responded to The Hollywood Reporter in a statement: "We are aware of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA complaints. We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue. While we understand the timing of our multi-year construction project has created challenges for demonstrators, we continue to work with public agencies to increase access. We support the unions' rights to demonstrate safely."[68]
On July 25, 2023, thousands of actors rallied Tuesday morning at Times Square from 9:30 A.M. to noon to voice their concerns about fair treatment and wages. SAG-AFTRA's main contractual negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland spoke about the struggle that the union is facing with the AMPTP. Many celebrities gave speeches to express their concerns about the future of their union and technological advancements in the industry. In attendance were: Lauren Ambrose, Matt Bomer, Christine Baranski, Steve Buscemi, Bobby Cannavale, Tituss Burgess, Liza Coln-Zayas, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain, Gregory Diaz, Jennifer Ehle, Brendan Fraser, Nancy Giles, Danai Gurira, Jill Hennessy, Marin Hinkle, Stephen Lang, Arian Moayed, Christopher Meloni, Chlo Grace Moretz, Wendell Pierce, Michael Shannon, Christian Slater, Corey Stoll, Merritt Wever and Rachel Zegler.[72][73][74]
On September 1, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to send the video game strike authorization vote to its members,[76][77] and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor.[78]
After the WGA and AMPTP reached a tentative agreement on September 24, leading to the official end of the WGA strike on September 27, SAG-AFTRA announced that it remains on strike, and called for renewed negotiations with the AMPTP.[79][80] Later on September 27, SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP made a joint announcement that "SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP will resume negotiations for a new TV/Theatrical contract on Monday, October 2."[81][82]
On October 2, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for negotiations,[83] in the first meeting between the two unions since the SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14.[84] Unlike the WGA's negotiations, the SAG-AFTRA's negotiations were held at SAG-AFTRA's headquarters on Wilshire Boulevard rather than the AMPTP's headquarters in Sherman Oaks as, according to Deadline, SAG-AFTRA officials were displeased "with the AMPTP's setup" and wanted a change of scenery.[85] Participants included AMPTP chief Carol Lombardini, Donna Langley (NBCUniversal), David Zaslav (Warner Bros. Discovery), Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Bob Iger (Disney), as well as SAG-AFTRA's Fran Drescher, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, and Ray Rodriguez.[83] The meeting concluded with an announcement that they would meet again on the 4th.[86] This pattern continued from October 4[87][88] to 9, when a joint statement announced a meeting on October 11.[89] However, negotiations broke down on October 11.[90]
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