Talk:SAG-AFTRA

Guild or union?

Legally it is a 501c5 in the USA but I'm curious about their internal structure. Is it a guild, a craft union, or something else? ~2026-31153-18 (talk) 01:07, 26 May 2026 (UTC)

Presidents Table

Hello! I'm Carly and I work for SAG-AFTRA. I have some ideas for how to update the SAG-AFTRA page, which I plan to share here for consideration. Thanks to those who consider any of my proposals!

One thing I've noticed is that the SAG-AFTRA article has tables for the presidents of both Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). The tables can be found at SAG-AFTRA#Presidents_of_SAG and SAG-AFTRA#Presidents_of_AFTRA.

The issue is these are just copies of the tables at Screen_Actors_Guild#Historical_leadership:_1933–2012 and American_Federation_of_Television_and_Radio_Artists#Historical_leadership:_1937-2012.

I can appreciate the SAG-AFTRA article having a table of SAG-AFTRA presidents (SAG-AFTRA#Presidents_of_SAG-AFTRA), but I think it is redundant and unnecessary to also display tables of the SAG and AFTRA presidents, especially when these tables already exist on their respective Wikipedia articles.

Do editors agree that these tables are not necessary, and if so, can they be removed from the SAG-AFTRA page? Thanks for any help here! SagaftraCarly (talk) 20:18, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

Reply 24-JUN-2026

  Edit request declined  

• The COI editor's reasoning is that the tables exist elsewhere, but then did not propose links be placed in the article for a reader to follow to find this information, expecting that the reader would or should already know (as the COI editor did) that those alternative tables exist and where to find them.

Regards,  Spintendo  21:03, 24 June 2026 (UTC)

I think those links would be Screen_Actors_Guild#Historical_leadership:_1933–2012 and American_Federation_of_Television_and_Radio_Artists#Historical_leadership:_1937-2012, but I'm comfortable with however editors prefer to direct readers to these duplicate tables. Thanks! SagaftraCarly (talk) 13:30, 29 June 2026 (UTC)

Two wording suggestions

Hello, Carly here again with SAG-AFTRA and another suggestion for this Wikipedia article.

In Background, there is the text "the stickiest remaining problem". I suggest replacing this language with "one remaining issue", which is more neutral.

Also, Composition says "Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers", but the correct name of the organization is Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Could an editor fix this to match Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers?

Thanks for any help! SagaftraCarly (talk) 22:19, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Done. - Shearonink (talk) 22:43, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Reason for strike

@Shearonink: Thank you for taking a look at the above request and for making updates to the article.

I would now like to share a request for SAG-AFTRA#2024–2025_strike. I understand editors may not want to add a lot of additional detail to this section, especially since there is a separate Wikipedia article about the strike, but currently there is no context explaining the reason for the strike.

Could editors clarify that unregulated use of AI was a primary reason for the strike?

This is confirmed by many sources, including:

• Video game actors are now on strike. Here’s why, Associated Press
• Artificial intelligence at core of video game actors’ strike: Expert explains, Virginia Tech
• Striking Video Game Performers Not Ready to Say Game Over, KQED

Additionally, the opening paragraph of 2024–2025 SAG-AFTRA video game strike says "The strike started after a year and a half of negotiations which failed to result in a protection agreement from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for all performers covered by the Interactive Media Agreement. In addition to video game performers, there were concerns about companies having the ability to train AI to replicate an actor's voice or create a digital replica of their likeness without consent or fair compensation."

If SAG-AFTRA#2024–2025_strike is meant to summarize 2024–2025 SAG-AFTRA video game strike, then I think this context is helpful to readers. If others agree, could someone update the article?

Thank you! SagaftraCarly (talk) 00:38, 19 June 2026 (UTC)

 Done Schazjmd (talk) 13:17, 19 June 2026 (UTC)

Update for factions section

@Schazjmd: Thanks for taking a look at the above request and for making updates.

I'd now like to share a request for SAG-AFTRA#Factions, which is based on a 2015 source and outdated. The two factions have joined and I'd like to suggest updating the section with text similar to the following:

• The two factions joined to create a unity slate and endorse the re-election of Fran Drescher as the union's president in 2023. The unity slate called "The Coalition" elected Sean Astin as president in 2025.

This is confirmed by many sources, including:

• SAG-AFTRA Factions Form Unity Slate To Re-Elect President Fran Drescher & Secretary-Treasurer Joely Fisher In Rare Show Of Solidarity, Deadline Hollywood
• Fran Drescher Reelected SAG-AFTRA President, The Hollywood Reporter
• Sean Astin Elected President of SAG-AFTRA, Taking Over for Fran Drescher, Variety

If others agree that this update is helpful, could someone update the article?

Thank you! SagaftraCarly (talk) 19:19, 22 June 2026 (UTC)

Reply 24-JUN-2026

   Go ahead approved  

• An impartial editor has reviewed the proposed edit(s) and asks the COI editor to go ahead and make the suggested changes.
• Please ensure all added references are formatted according to whichever system is already in use with the article. (See WP:CITEVAR.)

Regards,  Spintendo  21:03, 24 June 2026 (UTC)

Thank you for approving this request, but I would prefer if someone else updates the article on my behalf. User:Schazjmd or User:Shearonink, are either of you able to help here? SagaftraCarly (talk) 13:23, 29 June 2026 (UTC)

Sorry, not at the moment, am overwhelmed with life outside Wikipedia. - Shearonink (talk) 13:54, 29 June 2026 (UTC)

•  Done Schazjmd (talk) 18:23, 30 June 2026 (UTC)

Request to Relocate the Composition section

@Schazjmd: Thank you for updating the article based on two requests above. I appreciate your assistance!

I'd now like to suggest a text relocation. Based on flow and relevance, I would like to suggest moving the Composition section (SAG-AFTRA#Composition) up to follow the Background section SAG-AFTRA#Background. I would think membership information is more important than details about the Actor Awards or health and pension plans, but of course I will let editors decide what's best.

If others agree that this section order makes sense, could someone update the article? Thank you, again! SagaftraCarly (talk) 23:49, 1 July 2026 (UTC)

Reply 5-JUL-2026

  Edit request declined  

• I've re-placed the pension section to act as a subsection of the history section.
• The proposed changes would have separated the factions section from the composition section, and one normally should follow the other.

Regards,  Spintendo  12:59, 5 July 2026 (UTC)

Artificial Intelligence

Hi again and thanks to editors for helping here! Related to the strike request reviewed by User:Schazjmd above, I would like to provide additional sources and text related to SAG-AFTRA's stances and work related to artificial intelligence, as the topic has been covered by many journalists and news outlets.

I am submitting 3 edit requests below, all of which are related to AI. The first is a top level summary and the subsequent 2 are related to specific legislation, specifically the NO FAKES Act, the ELVIS Act (Tennessee), and other legislation in New York and California. I am hoping editors can add a section about AI based on these requests. Here is the first:

• SAG-AFTRA seeks to regulate the use of deepfakes through collective bargaining agreements and legislation. In 2018, the union began to "fight back" against unregulated face-swapping technologies when it infringes on members' rights. According to Fast Company, artificial intelligence (AI) was "a major sticking point" for members of SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America during the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.

• In 2025, SAG-AFTRA, along with Association of Talent Agents, Creative Artists Agency, OpenAI, and United Talent Agency, expressed concern about members appearing in Sora 2's AI-generated videos without consent, and collaborated with Open AI on stronger guardrails around the company's opt-in policy for likeness and voice.

References

If others agree that this summary is helpful, could someone update the article?

Thanks! SagaftraCarly (talk) 21:44, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Related to AI: NO FAKES Act

Related to AI, here's proposed text related to the NO FAKES Act:

• SAG-AFTRA supports the NO FAKES Act, proposed U.S. federal legislation concerning digital replicas. In 2024, SAG-AFTRA's national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland delivered testimony to members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property about the NO FAKES Act, along with FKA Twigs. In 2025, Crabtree-Ireland was included in Time's 'TIME100 AI' list for his work "forging protections for workers whose livelihoods are threatened by AI". In 2026, SAG-AFTRA's president Sean Astin delivered testimony to members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet about the NO FAKES Act.

References

If editors think this text is helpful, could someone make an update?

Thank you! SagaftraCarly (talk) 21:44, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Related to AI: New York, Tennessee, California

Related to AI, here is proposed text about NY S.8420-A/A.8887-B, the ELVIS Act in Tennessee and other legislation in California:

• The union supported NY S.8420-A/A.8887-B, which "requires persons who produce or create an advertisement to identify if it includes AI generated synthetic performers", and NY S.8391/A.8882, which "requires consent from heirs or executors if a person wishes to use the name, image, or likeness of an individual for commercial purposes after their death".
• SAG-AFTRA supported the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, which updated Tennessee's protection of personal rights law in March 2024 to include entertainers from AI abuses.
• In September 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills (AB 1836 and AB 2602) at SAG-AFTRA's headquarters in Los Angeles strengthening protections to performers over the use of their digital likenesses. The union supported the passage of SB 683 to "remove unlawful content quickly, protecting the individuals whose voice or likeness is being misappropriated and the consumers who may be targeted by fraud", which was signed into law by Newsom in October 2025. SAG-AFTRA also supports California's AI safety bill SB 1047, which seeks to require AI developers to add security precautions before training large language models.

References

If others agree that this summary is helpful, could someone update the article?

I'm hoping these requests can be added as a new section about AI. Thanks to editors for helping here! SagaftraCarly (talk) 21:44, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Linda Powell

Hi again! I have another suggestion for updating the Leadership section. Linda Powell is the Executive Vice President and a National Board member. Her role is confirmed by sources like Deadline Hollywood and The Hollywood Reporter. If editors think mentioning this notable person's affiliation with SAG-AFTRA is helpful, could someone update the article? Thank you! SagaftraCarly (talk) 17:57, 5 August 2026 (UTC)