In anticipation of a potential stalemate in negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP, actors are getting ready for the possibility of picketing, which could result in a double strike alongside the Writers Guild.
The current film and TV contract has been extended to allow for ongoing negotiations, with talks occurring over the weekend and on Monday.
Deadline reported that actors are actively working on picket signs, ordering T-shirts, and organizing a list of lot captains and coordinators.
The Writers Guild captains and coordinators have played a crucial role in the ongoing writers strike, which has reached its 65th day, by coordinating daily actions outside studios in Los Angeles and New York City.
Although SAG-AFTRA has not officially engaged with the WGA regarding plans and logistics, individual WGA members have offered their assistance to SAG-AFTRA captains and coordinators if the need arises.
It is anticipated that SAG-AFTRA will join the WGA at established studio picket sites, which would require the writers to add an additional staff member at each location.
If SAG-AFTRA members, who voted with a 98% majority to authorize a strike if an acceptable deal cannot be reached, decide to strike, they are expected to commence picketing on the morning of Thursday, July 13.
While a strike involving both the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild (excluding AFTRA, which merged with SAG in 2012) is uncommon, it has happened before. In 1960, during a five-month strike by the WGA, SAG President Ronald Reagan called for a strike by the actors guild.
There are concerns among some members of the actors guild that the leadership may settle for a deal that falls short of expectations, as indicated by a letter signed by notable actors such as Meryl Streep, Amy Schumer, and Charlize Theron.