A union steps into the spotlight

SAG-AFTRA had a secret weapon in its fight for better pay and improved protections

Last July, SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents thousands of film and television actors, commenced a headline-making strike. Key issues for the union in the labor dispute were better compensation and working conditions, as well as improved guardrails on the use of AI. (This action—and a concurrent work stoppage by the Writers Guild of America—brought film and TV production to a halt.) The 118-day strike—one of the longest in SAG-AFTRA’s history—ended in November, with the union winning many of their most critical demands.