SAG-AFTRA strike: Long Island actors picket studios' NYC HQs, decry 'poverty wages,' 'union busting'

Long Island members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) joined demonstrators who picketed Friday at four Manhattan locations — the first day of a strike against major Hollywood studios and streaming services.

Sue Berch — an actor originally from East Rockaway who got her start acting in the Lynbrook public schools — helped lead the picket line marching near the Flatiron District headquarters of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. 

"I'm a working actor. I'm not a famous actor. I didn't go into this to be rich and famous. I went into this to be an actor, to be a storyteller," she said. "I struggle to pay my rent. I struggle to get food. I do the same things that anybody else who's a working-class person does. People have this misconception that we're all rich and famous and that we're all doing very well. Most of us are not." 

Berch has done hundreds of ads, plays, TV shows, movies and voice-overs, including a JetBlue ad and playing a nurse on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," as well as educational videos.

"We're just trying to make a living. That's it," she said.

Hundreds marched outside Paramount's office in midtown Manhattan as some tourists and other passersby gawked, cheered, whooped in support or just walked by. 

"What's outrageous? Poverty wages! What's disgusting? Union busting!" the picketers chanted.

Among them was Daniel Pinto, 26, an aspiring actor and director from Holbrook, who had commuted in on the Long Island Rail Road and had been picketing for hours.

"I don't think these corporate executives are treating actors and directors right — and writers — they should be treating them with respect.... they're the ones that do all the work....they work day in and day out."  

Picket lines were also set up outside the Manhattan headquarters of  HBO, Amazon, and NBCUniversal and at studios in Los Angeles. 

Abraham Sparrow, an actor originally from New Hyde Park, was handing out water to picketers.

 "The AI issue is really important which is about, they can't just usurp our image and then in the future exploit it. Residuals also have never been straightened out since the new media came into being, and that has made it so that they have been able to take advantage," said Sparrow, who has been in "I Am Legend," "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and "The Chris Rock Show."

Actor and student Dan Golden, 24, of Roslyn, woke up early Friday morning to ride the LIRR into Manhattan to picket outside Amazon’s offices near Penn Station.

“I don’t want to be replaced by AI,” he said, adding: “There’s nothing like a human actor who’s able to bring real, genuine emotion. A computer can’t mimic that.”

He marched and carried a picket sign. 

“As a kid, I always wanted to be in ‘Star Wars’ — that’s what inspired me to pursue acting,” said Golden, who’s been an extra on TV. “And one day, when this strike is over, I hope I’m able to fulfill that dream.”

 On Thursday, a three-year contract had expired and talks broke off between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios. Members of the Writers Guild of America began striking in May.

Partly driving the strike are concerns over the fast-developing technology of artificial intelligence. Both guilds want assurances that AI will not be used to unfairly appropriate existing work, such as a writer’s screenplay or an actor’s likeness. Other sticking points are related to the rise of streaming platforms: Writers and actors alike say they deserve increased compensation for the content they’re producing.

The studios have said they’ve offered proposals like pay and residual increases, higher caps on pension and health contributions a requirement of performer consent for certain AI technology use.

The entertainment industry hasn’t seen a simultaneous strike by actors and writers since 1960. Then as now, a changing media landscape was at issue: Both guilds wanted a share of profits from films that were being sold to television. The writers struck first, in January, followed in March by the actors, who were led by future President Ronald Reagan. Several studio productions came to a halt, including the Elizabeth Taylor vehicle “Butterfield 8” and Marilyn Monroe’s “Let’s Make Love.” The SAG strike ended relatively quickly, in April, but the writers’ strike lasted until June.

The last time actors went on strike, in 1980, the argument was again over new media formats, this time videocassettes and pay television. Film and television productions were put on pause, and the 32nd Primetime Emmy Awards were boycotted by both SAG and AFTRA (which had yet to merge into today’s single guild). That strike lasted a record 95 days. It reportedly rippled through the entertainment industry and resulted in layoffs across a variety of professions, from janitors to grips to projectionists.

Meanwhile, Parviz Farahzad, owner and operator of Grumman Studios in Bethpage, said the studios’ film and television production work was being impacted by the Writers Guild of America strike long before the Friday start of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

“There wasn’t a whole bunch of new stuff being produced right now because the scripts are not really there,” said Farahzad. “You first need the writers to come off strike to write the scripts to get things in motion.”

Grumman Studios, which directly employs a small number of staff to maintain the facilities, currently has no film or TV productions ongoing, he said. Though workers there are still doing studio upkeep and repairs, and the studio has a long-term tenant engaged in non-film or TV production.

“When you have productions, there’s a lot of work going on,” said Farahzad, adding that hundreds can be brought in on film or TV shoots, including non-production trades like electricians and carpenters. The density of workers at the studios can have a ripple effect on the local economy.  

“These guys have to eat out, pay for transportation, gas,” he said. “That’s not happening now.

Although productions remain on hold for an undetermined amount of time, Farahzad said he’s hopeful that deals will be reached between the unions and that studios like his will benefit from the backlog of work.

“These things happen,” he said. “The silver lining is that once the strike is finished, they’re going to have to gear up a lot of productions and it’s going to be busy. Of course, you can’t make it all back, but it’s going to be a lot busier when the strike is finally over.”

Lyndsey Laverty, a principal at Gold Coast Studios in Bethpage, said,  "We're definitely feeling the impact."

The five-studio complex was already seeing a slowdown in productions because of the ongoing writers’ strike, which began in early May. Currently, no TV or film productions are happening at the studios, though Laverty said HBO’s historical drama  "The Gilded Age" is a tenant of the studios but went on hiatus before either of the strikes.  

“Leading up to the strikes it started to slow down,” she said. “It was looming. I think everyone was nervous to go into preproduction because of what was coming.”

Laverty said the studios directly employ between five and 10 workers who maintain the facilities. Despite the loss of work, she has no plans to lay off anyone. 

“I definitely see the economic impact, but not just for myself,” she said. Surrounding businesses like hotels, restaurants, grocery and hardware stores are hurt by the lack of production-fueled foot traffic.  

For the time being, Gold Coast is making repairs and upgrades to the facility, as well as updates to its website and marketing. Laverty said her business is preparing to jump into action the moment the strikes end.  

“We want to be ready for them,” she said. 

 With Rafer Guzman, Victor Ocasio  and AP

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.