Our common front
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA NED & Chief Negotiator and SAG-AFTRA member Patricia Arquette stand with ACTRA members, including Eleanor Noble, National President and Marie Kelly, NED & Lead Negotiator, at the ACTRA/SAG-AFTRA solidarity rally during TIFF in front of Amazon and Apple Toronto headquarters.
Marie Kelly
2023 has been a quite the year.
It was reminiscent of the 1950s, when the collective power of workers changed the fabric of labour in North America. The post-war emergence of unions started in the manufacturing sector but spread more widely than ever, ushering in a financial boom unlike any era seen prior. It helped build a middle-class that could finally achieve real financial stability for them and their families without the fear of unfair work practices and unjust workplaces. Finally, the working class could dream of a better future and play a part in the rapidly changing world of labour. Their unions and the landmark collective agreements they forged, made this possible.
The future was bright… for a time.
Corporate greed has become the new “dream” perpetuated by the one per cent.
The landscape has changed drastically since those post-war boom years. Evolving economic, technological, political, and social shifts have negatively impacted the strength and reach of unions. Unsurprisingly, the state of the working middle class has suffered. Widespread corporate greed and individualism over collective action has become the new “dream” perpetuated by the one per cent. The fact that they are most responsible for the erosion of union solidarity and bargaining power, is not a coincidence.
As long as there is organized labour, hope remains for a better future for all.
This generation is paying the price, and future generations are next in line. But hope is not lost. As long as there is organized labour, hope remains for a better future for all.
Canadian workers have been striking and rallying for better workplace wages and conditions throughout 2023, with many non-traditional industries forming unions and existing ones joining alliances. As we closed out the year, half a million people in Quebec went on strike in December, making it among the largest in Canadian history. As four unions joined forces to win a successful resolution, the public stood behind them throughout.
No doubt, the fight for fairness is making a comeback and union support along with it. Workers have endured significant erosions when it comes to healthcare, equality, security, and job standards. Public approval for unions is reaching the highest point in seven decades, and the tide continues to rise.
Our industry is witnessing this in huge ways.
What’s standing in the way of billion-dollar studios and media giants running roughshod over creators? Their unions.
Performers have seen an extraordinary shift in their work, as studios and streamers try to find every avenue to pay performers less and make their jobs less secure. What’s standing in the way of billion-dollar studios and media giants running roughshod over creators? Their unions. ACTRA and its sibling organizations around the world are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect the most important piece of the entertainment industry – the artists. Unions and their loud and proud members will always stand firm in demanding fair treatment, equitable compensation, and preservation of their craft despite the threats of union-busting, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.
Of course, the battle for labour fairness and equity isn’t our industry’s alone. The struggle of the artist is one that intersects with the fight for universal guaranteed income, tenant rights, environmental protections, and so many causes that shape the fabric of our society. But once again, despite the diverse tapestry of concerns, a common thread emerges — the power of collective action.
Workers are coming together to fight for common goals. Greedy corporations can’t ignore that power.
Look around, and you’ll witness the monumental strides taken by the global labour movement. At least 150 North American union contracts expired this past year with workers walking the line for more than 7.4 million days of missed work – the most in nearly a quarter of a century. Workers are coming together to fight for common goals. Greedy corporations can’t simply choose to ignore that power.
The “why” behind this rejuvenated enthusiasm for collective action isn’t a mystery: inflation driven by corporate greed has forced this generation to reassess how they can fight back. Food bank lines are growing, families are losing homes, and people everywhere have had enough.
Enough to walk off the job and onto picket lines. Enough to raise their voices in the halls of power. Enough to start movements into tidal waves that ripple across nations.
A common front and tenacious grit give this new generation of workers more bargaining power compared to the ones before them. It’s clear that our fight transcends studio lots and soundstages. It’s about ACTRA membership solidarity and engagement across our country. It’s about visible, sustainable support throughout the bargaining process and full support of our team at the bargaining table.
When workers are treated fairly, when their voices are heard and respected, societies flourish, economies thrive, and the human spirit soars.
In solidarity,
Marie Kelly