SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher Says It’s “So Wrong” AMPTP Suspended Union Negotiations: “It Really Came As A Shock To Me”

Actress and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher addressed the AMPTP’s decision to walk away from their negotiations with the union amid the ongoing strike and pointed out the variety of issues they had found themselves at a “crossroads” over.

During an appearance on The Today Show, Drescher admitted that the move “came as a shock” to her, per NBC News.

“Because what does that exactly mean and why would you walk away from the table? It’s not like we’re asking for anything that’s so outrageous,” she said.

“It’s so unfair that they walked out of the meeting, and so disrespectful … I mean, they talk at you. They really don’t want to hear what you have to say or why you’re saying it,” she continued.

She also said the entities were still disagreeing on a few issues, namely AI protections and raising the minimum wage for union members.

“We’re fighting tooth and nail to get them the AI protections that they want. But the last thing that [Ted] Sarandos said when they exited the room yesterday, ‘We don’t like your counter proposal for AI,'” she recalled. “Well, you know, we’re looking for the protections that these people deserve. Because it’s their likeness. It’s their essence of being. It’s their talent that is in jeopardy of being ripped off.”

The streamers and studios alliance announced the talks had been suspended in a statement on Wednesday evening, saying the “conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction.”

SAG-AFTRA began its strike in July, joining the WGA in picketing the AMPTP, which failed to renew its contract with both unions. The WGA recently reached an “exceptional” deal that meets all of the guild’s demands after months of negotiations and striking, but it may be some time before SAG-AFTRA members see a resolution of their own.

Drescher shared that another meeting has not been set as of yet.

“We can’t go back to the way things were,” Drescher stated. “It’s unsustainable and my members can no longer make a living on this new and unprecedented streaming platform with the old structure of payment. And they are going to have to accept that reality.”