SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris Says Guild Is Working Overtime For Members

Actors aren’t working, but their union is, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris said in video message to her members released tonight.

“We are living in challenging and uncertain times – unlike anything we’ve ever experienced,” she said in the video (watch it above). “And as the world is dealing with this unbelievable outbreak, I want you to know that we at SAG-AFTRA are taking action in real time. And I mean that’s morning to night and through the wee hours of the day.”

Noting that keeping members and staff safe is the union’s top priority, Carteris said: “One of the most challenging concerns facing our members during this national emergency is the loss of work. That causes untold economic pain and hardship. So I want you to know that we have been in direct conversations with other unions, studios, employers and legislative leaders, at the state and federal level, to make sure entertainment workers are included in the stimulus package income replacement programs – like expanded unemployment insurance, family relief, universal basic income during this crisis.”

The union has shut down its national headquarters in Los Angeles and closed local offices around the country. In-person meetings have been canceled, and staffers are working remotely from home. A spokesperson said that no staffers have been laid off.

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