The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists or simply SAG-AFTRA has joined their coworkers from the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) on strike for better treatment and pay for people in the entertainment industry. The SAG-AFTRA officially joined the picket lines last July 13. Dwayne Johnson showed support with his big donation.
Why Are the Workers on Strike?
It is ironic that one of the major money-making businesses, Hollywood, couldn’t pay their creatives a living wage, according to surveys. A 2021 survey had 80 percent of the respondents say that they were being paid less than $50,000 in the entertainment industry. This is way less than the livable wage in Los Angeles, which was estimated to be around $53,000.
As a result of these dismal conditions, the WGA was the first to go on strike. The SAG-AFTRA then followed their colleagues. Their main cry is for better wages and treatment for the people who do the leg work behind every film. They are also afraid that film companies will replace them with AI, considering its rising popularity.
As a result of the strikes, there have been many films that were put on hold. Many A-list actors also made appearances in the picket lines in solidarity with the protesters.
Although the films were put on hold, the workers on strike still urge the people to continue supporting films that are already showing in cinemas or through streaming sites. Some even clarified that they will be going to the Barbenheimer screenings.
Dwayne Johnson Donated a 7-Figure Sum
But one of the main calls of the strike was for donations for the people who were unpaid unfair wages or laid-off. Many donations came forward, but nothing beats The Rock.
According to the organizers of the SAG-AFTRA, Dwayne Johnson just donated a 7-figure sum to the cause. This would help the 7,000 – 10,000 members of the guild who are in dire need of financial assistance. The amount wasn’t specified, only that it was 7 figures.
If Dwayne Johnson’s position on the strike wasn’t clear enough, he just made it louder with the donation. SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney E. Vance said, “It is a call to arms for all of us to know that we just have to step up however you can…Dwayne is letting everyone know, ‘I’m here. What are you going to do?”
As of writing, SAG-AFTRA and WGA are still on joint strike and more and more people flock to the picket lines every day. They encourage everyone to join the protests but implicitly say that people shouldn’t be boycotting any films or streaming sites yet because they still help people get paid.
So if you’re wondering if it’s okay to watch the Barbenheimer screenings or if you should cancel your Netflix, Disney+, HBO, or Prime Video subscriptions, you should wait for further word on how you can help the cause. It might be counterintuitive to hold a boycott of films altogether at this moment. After all, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA don’t want to alienate the film production companies.