SAG-AFTRA has defended its decision to give the green light to more than 100 independent productions to film during the strike, after receiving criticism from some of its members, including Sarah Silverman and Viola Davis, who have publicly suggested that working under an interim agreement would undermine the strike.
“The Interim Agreement gives many of our journeyman performers and crews the opportunity to pay their rent and feed their families. This approach maintains our strength, solidarity and upper hand with the AMPTP until they yield to the deal we deserve,” a statement signed by the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee reads.
Prior to the start of TV/Theatrical/Streaming negotiations, the Negotiating Committee made the decision to allow producers, who may otherwise fall within the scope of the strike order, to apply for an Interim Agreement. In its statement, SAG-AFTRA noted that this is a contract that includes all terms and conditions for producers looking to employ their members on their specific independent productions.
“This Interim Agreement was created for several reasons, all of which are aimed at protecting the interests of our members, helping them successfully navigate the strike and demonstrating to the AMPTP that other producers are eager to work with our members under these terms,” the statement says.
“The Interim Agreement is a vital part of our strategic approach to these negotiations and to the strike. If the AMPTP continues to refuse to bargain, our strategy denies them the ability to freely make their own original productions, allowing everyone other than the AMPTP to produce content with our members. We urge independent producers to apply and encourage SAG-AFTRA members to work on the projects that obtain an Interim Agreement, along with all of the other permissible work we support,” the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee added.