Recently, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) president Fran Drescher appeared on The Today Show to discuss the actor's ongoing strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
First, Drescher explained why the actors are striking in the first place.
"We got here because we couldn't make a deal with the AMPTP on behalf of the workers in our union- 86% of them who can't make their health insurance. The majority of our members are working people, just trying to put food on the table and pay their rent. And we couldn't make a deal on their behalf."
When asked what the hot-button issues are, Drescher replied, "We need fair wages and protections against artificial intelligence, we need the working person to be protected and honored for their massive contributions, and we need what is considered minimum wage in our industry for the majority of our workers to reflect inflation."
Lastly, Drescher was asked by the Today Show hosts about how long the SAG-AFTRA strike could last and her response revealed that the actors are preparing for the strike to extend well into 2024. "I don't have a crystal ball. We have financially prepared ourselves for the next 6 months and we're really in it, to win it."
It sounds as if MCU fans will have a lengthy wait until they have a definitive answer on all the Fantastic Four casting rumors. Likewise, DC fans will be waiting just as long to learn who else will be starring in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy.
Currently, the AMPTP seems more open to negotiations with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who are also on strike. The two sides met recently to resume negotiations after a 90-day stalemate. However, the WGA gave an indication that even if a deal is reached, they will remain on strike with SAG-AFTRA until they also have a contract in place.
SAG-AFTA has been on strike since July 14, while the WGA strike began on May 2, 2023.