Actors Could Strike, Leaving Two Major Unions Off The Job In Hollywood for The First Time Since the 1960s

Some very famous faces are once again less than a day away from hitting the picket lines as the union representing about 160,000 actors prepares to possibly go on strike against major studios and streaming services.

The current contract for the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) expires at 11:59 pm PDT Wednesday. The union faced a previous strike deadline on July 1, only to announce an 11th-hour contract extension. But nearly two weeks that followed haven’t produced any kind of breakthrough to avoid a strike.

The final day of talks will include a federal mediator, which studio management and streaming services executives requested late Monday. The actors union agreed but made clear that it was not willing to grant another extension and that if the final day of talks does not produce a last-minute deal, it will go on strike.

The two sides remain far apart on some difficult-to-settle issues, including how to pay residuals, or additional payments to actors, when shows appear on streaming services. The concerns also include the use of artificial intelligence in production and economic issues such as pensions and health care contributions.

If they do strike, the actors could join more than 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America, who have already been on strike for two months.