'It's really important that this negotiation be covered, because the eyes of the world, and particularly the eyes of labor, are upon us.'
The actress and union president delivered an impassioned speech at a press conference Thursday morning -- shortly after news broke that the union voted to authorize a strike -- and called out the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for making"Wall Street and greed a priority."
I went in earnest, thinking that we would be able to avert a strike. The gravity of this move is not lost on me, or our negotiating committee, or our board members, who have voted unanimously to proceed with a strike. It's a very serious thing that impacts thousands if not millions of people all across this country and around the world. Not only members of this union, but people who work in other industries that service the people that work in this industry.
It is disgusting! Shame on them! They stand on the wrong side of history in this very moment. We stand in solidarity, in unprecedented unity. Our union and our sister unions, and unions around the world, are standing by us, as well as other labor unions. Because, at some point, the jig is up! You cannot keep being dwindled and marginalized and disrespected and dishonored. The entire business model has been changed by streaming, digital, AI.
Privately they all say we're the center of the wheel. Everybody else tinkers around our artistry, but actions speak louder than words. And there was nothing there. It was insulting. So we came together in strength and solidarity and unity, with the largest strike authorization vote in our union's history and we made the hard decision that we tell you as we stand before you today.
So the jig is up, AMPTP. We stand tall. You have to wake up and smell the coffee. We are labor, and we stand tall, and we demand respect, and to be honored for our contribution.
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