SAG-AFTRA Comes Out Against Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger - The Hollywood Reporter

What the report says

The Hollywood Reporter says SAG-AFTRA’s national board has formally opposed the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger unless binding worker and production protections are attached to the deal. The board adopted the resolution Saturday, according to the report, after 12 state attorneys sued to block the $111 billion transaction. The performers union said it supports that regulatory challenge and wants “enforceable safeguards” before the combination moves forward.

SAG-AFTRA’s stated concern is that a merged company could reduce production or shift more work outside the United States. The union is calling for commitments that would prevent production cuts and guarantee a higher share of film and television work being made domestically. Union president Sean Astin said workers should not have to rely on broad promises, while national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland argued that binding assurances are needed to stop cost-cutting through outsourcing or reduced output.

The report places SAG-AFTRA alongside other entertainment labor groups that have criticized the merger. The Writers Guild of America has opposed the transaction and filed its own lawsuit on July 14, while the Teamsters earlier urged the Justice Department to block the deal unless worker protections were included. THR reported that it sought comment from Paramount Skydance.

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has previously said Paramount and Warner Bros., as separate studio operations, would release at least 30 films annually, but opponents have questioned whether such pledges are sufficient. The dispute comes as U.S. production employment has been under pressure and overseas tax incentives have drawn more film and television work abroad.