Will An Upcoming SAG-AFTRA Strike Affect Music, Broadway Like How the WGA Strike Did?

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is currently on its sixth week of strike against the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP). The two have been in battle for quite a while as the former negotiates for better and fair pay in the streaming age of television and film.

Now, the Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the American labor union which represents hundreds of thousands of actors and artists in Hollywood, has recently reached a vote that should they not reach an agreement and a new contract with AMPTP, they would also go on strike.

What Will Happen If They Go On Strike?

With the WGA Strike that is currently happening, television and film are currently put on hold. As you can see, late-night shows and talk shows, among many other network series, have been put on hold in their development phase as the writers have been in protest for a fair wage.

If the SAG-AFTRA, like the WGA, would not reach an agreement, they would follow their writers in the picket line.

"Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now! Bravo SAG-AFTRA, we are in it to win it," SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement, as quoted by Entertainment Weekly.

Will It Impact the Music Industry?

In some ways, yes, as there are many singers and musicians like Lin Manuel Miranda, and Selena Gomez who were also actors at the same time. Should they also join in solidarity with the SAG, it would mean that their music work might be affected too.

Will The SAG Strike Impact Broadway?

Not much. According to Playbill, Broadway actors are represented by the Actors' Equity Association, a separate union. However, some SAG Members are also members of the Actor's Equity, but it doesn't mean that if they were on strike with the SAG, they could not perform their respective roles on Broadway should there be some.

The SAG Strike Negotiation

According to Entertainment Weekly, if an agreement has not been made, it would be the first actor strike in 23 years, which would result in further delays in the operations of film and television industries.

Similarly, the Directors Guild of America is also nearly its expiry in June this year. Meanwhile, the SAG will start its negotiations on Jun. 7, and they should have reached an agreement before Jun. 30, or they would most likely be on strike.