The work ahead

Members across the country are clear: they want to work.

The industry’s failure to bounce back post-strike isn’t the fault of union members — it’s the result of intentional contraction by the employer companies. Studios and streamers have slowed production, shelved projects, and slashed budgets — not to preserve the health of the industry, but to protect executive compensation and shareholder value at the expense of the workforce.

For decades, employer companies have exploited the uncertainty caused by technological disruptions — from the rise of cable and DVDs to new media and streaming platforms — as excuses to manufacture contractions, weaken labor protections, and shift wealth away from working members.

Let’s be clear: this is not about the strike. It’s about corporate strategies that prioritize short-term profits over long-term investment in workers, storytelling, and the industry’s future.

We are committed to keeping work in the U.S. — and that includes bolstering production in Los Angeles, one of the industry’s most vital hubs. But this cannot and must not come at the expense of other locals. Every SAG-AFTRA member, no matter where they live or work, deserves access to union jobs in their region.

We believe in:

• National solidarity, not regional competition.

• Policies that incentivize domestic production, with an emphasis on union jobs and fair labor conditions.

• Holding employers accountable for the slowdown — and pushing them to reinvest in storytelling and jobs, not just stock prices.

Blaming members for a lack of work divides us. Holding the employer companies accountable unites us.

We’re here to fight for a future where everyone — in L.A., New York, the Southeast, the Midwest, and beyond — has the chance to work, thrive, and build a lasting career.

We continue to work towards real access to benefits — because careers in entertainment must be sustainable and survivable.

That means fighting for senior members who in 2020 lost the lifetime healthcare coverage they counted on— a devastating blow that must be addressed. And it means removing barriers that make it harder for new and emerging members to qualify for benefits while trying to build their careers in an already precarious industry.

Access to Pension and Health coverage isn’t a perk — it’s the foundation of a union that truly protects its members across every stage of their lives and careers.

To achieve real reform, we must also ensure that the most qualified trustees are selected to oversee our benefit plans — individuals who understand the needs of working members, who are committed to accountability, and who will fight to expand, not restrict, access.

These plans belong to the members. We intend to govern them accordingly.

The reality is clear: our pension plans can no longer exist separately. While the decision ultimately rests with the trustees, we will apply maximum pressure to fulfill the promise of the merger of SAG and AFTRA — no more split earnings.

We are committed to pursuing true pension unity and fairness so that all participants receive the benefits they’ve earned, without any reduction or compromise in individual member benefits. While the trustees govern the plans, we will hold them accountable and advocate relentlessly for the best possible outcomes for all members.

Our union owes it to every participant to end unnecessary division and complexity — because a unified pension system strengthens our collective future.

We must acknowledge what members already know: including self-tape guidelines in the contract without a clear path to enforcement is a real problem. We are committed to fixing that — not just in contract language, but in practice.

Members are tired of being told to “report violations” when doing so only risks damaging their relationships with casting — with no realistic recourse or protection. That’s not a win. That’s a trap.

We are committed to fixing policies that look good on paper but don’t pan out in practice.

For many performers, self-tapes are their primary point of contact with the industry — and represent the vast majority of their work. This is no longer a fringe issue. It is the day-to-day workplace for thousands of members.

That’s why we are committed to:

• Establishing enforceable standards for self-tape requests — including limits on pages, turnaround times, and tech demands.
  

• Creating protected channels for reporting abuse or excessive asks — with union support, anonymity options, and real follow-up.
  

• Addressing inequity in casting platform access and fees, ensuring fair use and protecting members from pay-to-play structures.
  

This is core labor. It deserves core protections.

Our union was among the first to negotiate guidelines and protections around Artificial Intelligence in our 2023 contract — a groundbreaking step. But the fight is far from over.

Many members are deeply concerned — now more than ever — about how A.I. is reshaping our work, our images, and our creative futures.

We must listen carefully to how members are navigating these new rules because A.I. remains an existential threat to our industry and our livelihoods. 

While legislation efforts to address A.I. regulations across all levels of government are encouraging, we also can’t depend solely on legislation to fill the gaps in our contracts.

That’s why we are committed to:

• Vigorous enforcement of current protections
  

• Strengthening contract language to further protect members and clarify member rights
  

• Leading the fight nationally and globally to shape fair AI policy by lobbying like-minded policy-makers to support strong legislation.
  

• Ensuring members have a real voice in how AI is used in their work.
  

• Securing specific AI protections for minors, including strict limits on the retention and use of their digital likenesses.

This is one of the most critical battles facing members today — and we will not back down.

Let’s be clear: the streaming bonus is not a residual — and that distinction matters. We cannot let it become a substitute for real, ongoing compensation.

Residuals have always been a core part of our deal with the industry. We have historically agreed to work for less up front in exchange for the promise of continuing financial participation. That deal must be honored — not erased.

The companies are making more money than ever and using the excuse of “new technology” to eliminate secondary payments. But we invest in the success of the projects we work on — and they must make good on that investment.

True residuals are not just a check; they are the lifeblood of members’ personal economies — the critical income that supports families, pays rent, and makes careers sustainable between jobs.

That’s why our focus must be on expanding and establishing true streaming residuals — fair, transparent, and ongoing payments that reflect the value our work creates on every platform.

We will fight to:

• Move beyond one-time bonuses toward real residual structures for streaming
  

• Ensure equitable formulas that cover all types of content and delivery methods
  

• Protect residuals from being eroded by corporate accounting tricks or outdated rules
  

Our work is valuable — and our compensation must reflect that, now and into the future.

Members want leaders who stand up for them — who have a clear vision to make the union truly work for its membership. That means centering members’ needs and voices above all else.

We believe decisions must be shaped with members, not simply reported to them after the fact. That means creating real, ongoing opportunities for member input and participation — from contract negotiations to policy-making to everyday interactions with staff.

We strongly support maximizing resources to bolster member-staff interaction. From set visits to phone responsiveness, members deserve timely and respectful communication from their union. Too often, members feel that their calls go unanswered or that there’s no support when issues arise on the job. That must change.

We also need to improve the way members interface with committees and their staff liaisons. Committee leaders must be empowered, and the staff supporting them must be set up for success — with clear expectations, proper training, and a member-first mindset.

Our committee system needs reform:

• Committee chairs should have more input and authority when seating committees.
  

• We must create better, more accessible pathways for new members to join and serve.
  

This union belongs to the members. It’s time our leaders — and our systems — act like it.

A strong union depends on an informed and engaged membership. That means we must do more than just send emails and hope people read them — we must meet members where they are, and actively invest in union literacy and participation.

We support expanding access to in-person meetings, member orientations, and education on contracts and core union functions — across all locals. Every member, no matter where they live or work, deserves the opportunity to understand their union, their rights, and how to get involved.

We must prepare and empower members to organize effectively, not just outward against employers, but inward — building solidarity among ourselves. If members don’t open emails, show up, or engage, we can’t build power. That’s a reality we must confront with solutions, not blame.

We are committed to:

• Facilitating regular member orientations and educational workshops across all locals.
  
  

• Expanding access to open forums, town halls, and robust Q&As.
  
  

• Supporting the release of full MOAs (Memoranda of Agreement) prior to ratification votes, and advocating for this to become a standard practice whenever possible.
  
  

• Encouraging active participation in organizing campaigns and grassroots union efforts across regions, categories, and communities.
  

We believe in a culture of transparency, accountability, and participation. But that only works if you show up, speak up, and stay engaged.

This is your union. Let’s build it together — everywhere we live and work.

SAG-AFTRA has long been at the forefront of legislative efforts that protect and advance the rights of performers and media professionals — from pushing for AI regulation and tax incentives to supporting bills that expand workplace protections, access to healthcare, and union rights.

But the fight doesn’t stop at entertainment. We must continue building meaningful solidarity with the broader labor movement, recognizing that our power grows when we stand with other unions, not in isolation.

We are committed to:

• Continuing our legislative advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels
  
  

• Fighting for industry-specific reforms that support our unique workforce
  
  

• Building stronger coalitions with fellow unions, guilds, and worker organizations
  
  

• Positioning SAG-AFTRA as a leading voice in the national conversation about the future of labor, creative rights, and workplace fairness

Together with the wider labor movement, we can become a powerful force for change — not just in our contracts, but in the country.

Organizing is one of SAG-AFTRA’s core functions — and it must remain a top priority if we want to grow, stay relevant, and protect union jobs.

We are committed to continuing and expanding robust organizing efforts across all corners of the industry, including:

• Organizing background performers in non-zone areas, where too many are forced to work without union protections
  
  

• Redoubling efforts to recapture commercial work through a stronger, more strategic Ads Go Union campaign
  
  

• Developing new tools to organize performers in underrepresented or under-protected sectors, including voice-over performers, broadcasters, and across other categories.
  
  

• Expanding the union’s role in the creator economy, where a growing number of members are building careers without traditional production pipelines
  
  

• Keeping younger and emerging members engaged, informed, and protected, so they see SAG-AFTRA not just as relevant, but essential to their futures
  
  

Organizing is how we grow our power, increase our leverage, and ensure that all performers — no matter their category, location, or medium — can build sustainable, union-protected careers.

Broadcast professionals are a vital part of SAG-AFTRA — and their work faces urgent, evolving threats. From local newsrooms to national networks, journalists and broadcasters are navigating unprecedented assaults on free speech, fair reporting, and the integrity of their work.

As traditional broadcast continues to intersect with digital platforms, our union must rise to meet the challenges of convergence — where content is created, distributed, and monetized in new ways across television, radio, social media, streaming, and emerging technologies.

We are committed to:

• Protecting the rights and safety of broadcasters and journalists — on-air and online

• Securing strong contracts that reflect both legacy media and digital realities

• Organizing new shops and supporting workers across converging broadcast–digital environments

• Advocating for protections against A.I. misuse, including deepfakes, synthetic voices, and the unauthorized use of journalist likenesses in news or commercial content

Broadcasters deserve a union that understands the unique nature of their work — and is prepared to defend it, now and into the future.

It’s time to bring our union’s agency regulation into the modern era. No longer can members operate under a patchwork of legacy rules, outdated agreements, and temporary codes. We need to negotiate a unified franchise agreement with the Association of Talent Agents (ATA).

We believe renegotiating a new, merged SAG-AFTRA–ATA Franchise Agreement should be a top priority in 2026. Our members deserve a single, strong, enforceable framework that protects them across all categories and mediums.

We are committed to:

• Establishing a fair and transparent process for agent regulation post-merger
  
  

• Protecting members from conflicts of interest, exploitative commissions, and predatory contract practices
  
  

• Modernizing agent guidelines to reflect the realities of streaming, social media, and the evolving creative economy
  
  

• Engaging the full union — especially members from diverse categories — in shaping what that agreement should look like
  
  

• Supporting Members in every local — Many agents outside of the major locals are not members of the organizations with whom we negotiate franchise agreements. We need to provide standardized guidelines to help members establish clear, union-supported boundaries with their representatives..

This is a governance issue. This is a power issue. And it’s long overdue.

As we transform the building we purchased into our new SAG-AFTRA national headquarters, we have a rare and symbolic opportunity: to modernize every facet of how our union works — from the ground up.

This isn’t just about a building. It’s about a commitment to reinvention. A 21st-century union needs 21st-century tools — for its members and for the entire industry.

We believe that every interaction with SAG-AFTRA — whether from a member, staffer, or employer — should be clear, efficient, and empowering.

That means:

• Reimagining digital infrastructure — including maximizing the ongoing website rebuild project to create a more intuitive, useful, and responsive online experience for all members. Streamlining the Producers Portal, improving claims processing, and building a Residuals system that members can actually navigate and understand
  
  

• Creating user-friendly, truly accessible systems that reflect the diversity of our membership — across languages, abilities, categories, and locations
  
  

• Fixing bottlenecks in staff communication — so that when members reach out, they’re met with responsiveness and clarity
  
  

• Making organizing and contract enforcement more agile through better tools, better data, and better transparency
  
  

• Designing our national headquarters as a true member-facing space — with tech-enabled meeting rooms, production labs, and educational resources that support performers across every part of their career

Our vision is to make it easier for the entire industry to work with the union — and far easier for members to access the support they’re owed. Because modernization isn’t about bells and whistles — it’s about building a union that works.