EXCLUSIVE: Get ready for a possible strike next week as SAG-AFTRA gears up for battle. Fran Drescher, the guild’s president, recently revealed in an email chain that she’s willing to go on strike in 2021 over Hollywood’s Covid vaccination mandates. Despite facing criticism for not doing enough to end the mandates, Drescher made it clear that she would have asked for a strike if it were up to her. However, she acknowledged that a union cannot strike with just a handful of members when the majority disagrees or has changed their stance on the issue.
The mandates, which were approved by the studios, guilds, and unions, were part of the industry’s Covid return-to-work protocols. They allowed employers to require vaccinations as a condition of employment. These mandates were in effect from June 2021 until May 12 of this year, along with other protocols.
In a previous article for SAG-AFTRA Magazine, Drescher expressed her commitment to fighting for members who feel discriminated against due to their unvaccinated or un-boosted status. She promised that help was on the way for those who were not being fairly considered by studios regarding religious or health exemptions.
Drescher’s critics, including Maya Dunbar, Peter Antico, and actor Chuck Slavin, voiced their concerns in the email chain. Dunbar, who is running against Drescher for president, accused the national executive director of manipulating the National Board over the mandates. Antico, who ran for president in 2017, questioned Drescher’s dedication to the rights of the unvaccinated.
Despite the criticism, Drescher defended her position and clarified that she represents the board vote, not just her own opinion. She also addressed the accusations made by her critics, emphasizing that she never claimed to be running uncontested and that the press often publishes unsubstantiated information.
As the possibility of a strike looms, many SAG-AFTRA members are urging the guild to take action if a deal cannot be reached in ongoing contract talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Drescher’s willingness to strike over the mandates adds a new twist to the situation.
It’s clear that Drescher has been actively involved in advocating for the unvaccinated community, even if her efforts have been met with resistance. Despite the challenges, she remains determined to fight for what she believes is right.In an email response to Drescher, Dunbar didn’t hold back. He called out her denial of her own words on video and accused her of lying without providing any evidence. He challenged her to show where he said the Negotiating Committee wasn’t working over July 4th and to provide a write-up if it exists. Dunbar criticized Drescher for blindly believing misinformation without fact-checking, comparing it to her approach to Covid. He didn’t mince words, telling her that she often puts her foot in her mouth despite her age.
Clearly fed up with the sniping from her critics, Drescher made it clear that she would no longer engage with them directly. She expressed disappointment that they couldn’t communicate respectfully and without editorializing. Instead, she instructed her executive assistant to relay their messages to her, but only without the abusive and character assignations that had become the norm in their communication.
Drescher signed off the email chain as “President Drescher” and made it clear that she would not tolerate being abused, called names, or accused of greed or ego.
Drescher did not respond to a request for comment.
Dunbar, speaking to FilmmakerFocus, expressed his belief that factions have no place in a labor union. He criticized the elitism and exclusivity within the ranks, which leaves rank and file members without a voice. He highlighted the challenges faced by independent candidates like himself and the difficulty of running a national presidential campaign within the guild. Dunbar emphasized the need to restore power to the labor union and ensure that every member, regardless of status or income, has a say in decision-making.
Regarding Covid mandates, Dunbar expressed disappointment that a strike was not necessary to protect members. He criticized the leadership for not prioritizing the membership over producers and for failing to address discrimination faced by religious, medically vulnerable, and disabled members. Dunbar found it hard to believe the comments about a strike, considering the ongoing presence of mandates on some productions.
Dunbar’s decision to run for president stems from his personal experience with discrimination faced by his husband, Rockmond Dunbar. They reached out to SAG-AFTRA for help but felt disregarded and dismissed. Dunbar highlighted the neglect and disheartenment felt by members who have been pushed to their limits mentally, emotionally, and physically. They expressed frustration at the lack of support from the labor union and leadership that should be protecting and serving them.
Dunbar emphasized that a labor union’s purpose is to ensure equal treatment for all workers, regardless of personal opinions or political bias. They criticized the leadership for prioritizing producers’ privilege over workers’ rights and vowed to fight for members’ rights as president. Dunbar promised to never let what happened to their family happen to another member and to uphold what is right and just for all members.
Note: The HTML tags have been left unchanged.According to Antico, President Drescher recently held an urgent meeting to discuss extending Duncan Crabtree-Ireland’s contract for another four years. However, it seems that the meeting was called under false pretenses, as there was no real emergency since Duncan’s contract still had 18 months left. Interestingly, Fran refused to call an emergency meeting when the CDC’s public policy changed due to verified evidence that the experimental vaccines were never tested for transmissibility and did not actually prevent infection. This rendered the Zone A protocols useless and based on false information. Unfortunately, Fran’s lack of action resulted in many SAG-AFTRA members who chose not to participate in the experimental drug trial being left without employment, despite there being no scientific basis for their exclusion.
