Actors union leader Carteris: Labor movement can help make Hollywood more diverse

Two days after NBC cancelled next year’s Golden Globes broadcast over lack of diversity at the program’s sponsor, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the leader of a major Hollywood union said labor organizations are well positioned to address diversity issues in the entertainment industry.

“Despite the challenges we face, we are in a moment of opportunity for unions, for the labor movement, and for workers everywhere,” Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) President Gabrielle Carteris said at a National Press Club Virtual Headliners event on Wednesday, May 12. “Building workplaces that actually reflect the true diversity of this country isn’t just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing for the future.  And unions can lead that effort.”

The film and television industries are significantly under-represented when it comes diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, Carteris said. In 2019, just over one-third of speaking characters were women, one-quarter of leads were people of color and roughly two percent were people with disabilities.

In a discussion with Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews, Carteris said SAG-AFTRA’s commitment to embracing change, global thinking and collaboration will help make Hollywood more inclusive.

Photo of NPC President Lisa Matthews and Screen Actors Guild President Gabrielle Carteris

The union has fought for federal tax breaks for entertainment workplaces that hire diverse employees and has demanded greater diversity from employers across the bargaining table, said Carteris, a former cast member of the popular television series “Beverly Hills 90210.”

In response to the prevalence of sexual harassment in the industry, Carteris touted two new union initiatives -- the first industry-wide accreditation for intimacy coordinator training and a digital application for members to report harassment. 

The union’s efforts to improve Hollywood’s office and set culture could help it attract new members.

“If we can seize this moment…we can welcome a whole new generation of union members and be a catalyst for the change that we need in our workplaces and beyond,” Carteris said. “When it comes to young people and others who have not joined or been able to join a union, they are a lot less interested in what we’ve done and much more interested in where we’re going to go, because the world is changing, and they want us to be relevant.”

SAG-AFTRA is hoping Washington will give unions a shot in the arm. Carteris urged passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, which would strengthen workers’ ability to form and join unions and repeal state “right to work” laws.

In April, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced at a Club virtual event that he would support the bill.

“This would be the most significant worker empowerment legislation since the Great Depression,” Carteris said. “From the day he took office, President Biden has been focused on repairing the damage caused by the prior administration, which took union busting to new levels.”

GLOBAL FOCUS

SAG-AFTRA also has a global focus. With entertainment giants such as Disney and Netflix increasing their international operations, Carteris said the union tries to ensure that its members benefit from collective bargaining agreements worldwide.

“As more and more companies expand their work abroad, anyone invested in the labor movement here in the U.S. should be just as passionate about promoting workers’ rights and solidarity across all borders,” said Carteris, who was recently appointed president of the International Federation of Actors.

Carteris also stressed collaboration with other unions and industries to tackle major issues, including the pandemic. By the second quarter of 2020, 89% of the union’s members were unemployed. SAG-AFTRA worked with other unions and scientists to successfully establish safe protocols and a roadmap to reopening production.

“We can do so much more than just return to normal, we can actually define a new normal,” Carteris said. “And in order to do that, the labor movement needs to lead.”