SAG-AFTRA Members Unite to End McCarthyist Repression and Demand a Ceasefire in Gaza

In a powerful show of solidarity, over 700 members of SAG-AFTRA and other industry guilds are rallying for change. They are calling on their union to end what they describe as the “McCarthyist repression of members who acknowledge Palestinian suffering” and to issue a statement demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. High-profile actors such as Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo, and Ramy Youssef are lending their voices to this movement, urging their union to confront both the ongoing devastation in Palestine and the culture of silence in Hollywood.

The open letter signed by the members marks a turning point, demanding accountability from the guild leadership, which, they argue, has remained silent in the face of overwhelming violence in Gaza. After the union’s initial sympathy with “Israel” following the October 7 events, the letter’s signatories express their horror as the “Israeli” government’s military actions have led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, injured tens of thousands more, and forcibly displaced 2 million people. The letter explicitly calls on the leadership to acknowledge these atrocities, condemn the violence, and call for peace.

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The Letter to SAG-AFTRA

Below is the open letter in its entirety:

To Our Guild Leadership and Staff:

We are proud rank-and-file union and trade association members from every corner of our industry — working on screen, stage, set, and in the field — united in solidarity with the global call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a just, lasting peace. As artists and storytellers, we cannot stand idly by as our industry refuses to tell the story of Palestinian humanity.

Following SAG-AFTRA’s statement in sympathy with Israel regarding October 7, many SAG-AFTRA and sister guild members have watched in horror as the Israeli government wages a war of collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza — killing over 40,000 Palestinians, injuring over 90,000 more, forcibly displacing 2 million people, and openly targeting members of the press and their families. As the IDF continues its assault on “safe zones,” schools, and hospitals, and as civilians in Gaza die from starvation, dehydration, and lack of medical supplies and fuel, major human rights groups have labeled these acts as war crimes, human rights atrocities, and even genocide. The UN has described Gaza as a “graveyard for children” — and estimate that by mid-July “half of the population — more than a million people — could face death and starvation.” As of now, there is no end in sight — only escalation, death, and destruction.

Despite these clear violations of human rights and Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land and lives, our union leadership has remained silent. Thus, they have made conditional which atrocities we choose to condemn and which innocent lives we choose to acknowledge and mourn. Moreover, SAG-AFTRA and nearly all our sister guilds have remained silent in the face of flagrant and unprecedented attacks on freedom of the press, including the deliberate targeting and murder of Palestinian journalists and their families by the IDF. The Committee to Protect Journalists has declared the war on Gaza “the deadliest period for journalists covering conflict since CPJ began tracking in 1992.” Some of those journalists were members of news organizations whose domestic affiliates are represented under SAG-AFTRA contracts. While SAG-AFTRA issued a public statement at the outset of the Ukraine war demanding that “journalists of all nations working in the war zone are kept safe,” its words now ring hollow if they only apply to some journalists of certain identities.

On December 13, 2023, Israeli forces attacked The Freedom Theatre in the Jenin refugee camp and kidnapped several of its members — fellow actors and directors, who have called for solidarity from theatre workers worldwide. Palestinian trade unions have called for international labor solidarity, reminding us that “the struggle for Palestinian justice and liberation is a lever for the liberation of all dispossessed and exploited people of the world.” Worldwide labor has heeded that call, including major Australian, British, Belgian, Indian, and American unions. On Nov 15, our British peer union, Equity UK, called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, stating: “We send our solidarity to Palestinian artists suffering in the horrendous conditions created by Israeli bombing, occupation, and apartheid.” Since then, UAW International has called for a ceasefire and announced the formation of a Divestment and Just Transition working group; The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) became the first Hollywood union to call for a ceasefire in Gaza; five of the 10 largest American labor unions and federations have officially called for a ceasefire including the NEA (National Education Association), SEIU (Service Employees International Union), and the AFL-CIO; and unions collectively representing a majority of organized workers in the US formed The National Labor Network for Ceasefire. In July, 7 major unions representing over 6 million workers published a letter to President Biden demanding an arms embargo on Israel.

The global call for a ceasefire — from organized labor, artists and fellow SAG-AFTRA members, human rights groups, world leaders, and the majority of the American public — grows louder every day. And yet, our government continues to sponsor the Israeli forces’ assault on Palestinian civilians, and our industry union leadership still refuses to speak out. We reject this silence. Our calling as artists, news reporters, and storytellers is to bring truth to the world. To fight the erasure of life and culture. To unite for justice in the name of the most vulnerable among us. It’s exactly what we did during our historic strike in 2023.

We are the labor that built and sustains this business. When our leaders can’t stand up publicly for peace and justice, then we must do what we always do: organize, fight for change, and win. Our guild leadership must join the largest and most diverse peace movement in a generation — the integrity of our legacy demands nothing less. When confronted with genocide, oppression, and injustice, let us ring the bell for humanity and liberation. An injury to one is an injury to all.

We, the undersigned members of SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, WGA, Teamsters, DGA, AEA, AFM, Hollywood Basic Crafts, CSA, PGA, and more, demand our leadership issue a public statement calling for a permanent ceasefire, release of all hostages — both Palestinian and Israeli, and immediate funding and delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid; to speak out against the targeting and killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, health workers, and our journalist colleagues; to condemn our industry’s McCarthyist repression of members who acknowledge Palestinian suffering; and to eliminate any doubt of our solidarity with workers, artists, and oppressed people worldwide.

In solidarity,

SAG-AFTRA & Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire

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The Fight for Free Speech and an End to Blacklisting

One of the core issues driving this letter is the ongoing repression within the industry against members who speak out in favor of Palestinian rights. The firing of actress Melissa Barrera from the Scream franchise last November is a glaring example of the punitive measures faced by those who express solidarity with Palestine. Barrera’s dismissal sparked outrage across the industry, with many members calling it a new wave of “McCarthyism” aimed at silencing dissenting voices on politically sensitive issues.

The letter notes that despite repeated requests for the guild to issue a statement on the crisis, union leadership has refused to engage meaningfully with members. The group behind the letter, SAG-AFTRA and Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire, claims that multiple attempts to meet with guild officials have been ignored, leaving many feeling abandoned by their own organization.

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A Call for Humanitarian Action and Global Solidarity

The open letter is not just about internal guild politics—it is a passionate call for peace. The signatories demand that SAG-AFTRA and other unions issue a public statement calling for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and immediate humanitarian aid to those suffering in Gaza. They urge their union to speak out against the targeted killing of civilians, journalists, and healthcare workers in Palestine.

Moreover, they argue that the silence from the industry’s unions sends the wrong message: that some lives and tragedies are worth mourning, while others are not. This selective empathy, they assert, undermines the very values of justice and human rights that the union claims to uphold.

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A Broader Movement for Justice

This call for action is not happening in isolation. Around the world, labor unions, human rights groups, and artists have been organizing in support of Palestinian liberation. From British unions like Equity UK to major American labor organizations such as the NEA and SEIU, the movement for a ceasefire is growing. The signatories of this letter are joining a global outcry for peace, standing alongside millions of others who refuse to be silent in the face of injustice.

The open letter draws on the lessons of the past, particularly the historic 2023 strike, which demonstrated the power of organized labor to effect change. The signatories call on their union to follow the same path—organize, speak out, and fight for the dignity of all people, both in Palestine and beyond.

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Conclusion

As this movement gains momentum, SAG-AFTRA’s leadership faces a crucial decision. Will they stand with their members and amplify the call for peace and justice? Or will they continue to remain silent, allowing the industry’s fear of political backlash to suppress the voices of those who dare to speak out?

The fight for Palestinian rights in Hollywood is more than just a political issue—it is a battle for the soul of the industry itself. At its core, it is about whether the storytellers who shape culture can do so with integrity, free from the fear of being blacklisted for standing up for human rights.

Now, more than ever, the words of these 700 members echo across the industry: “When confronted with genocide, oppression, and injustice, let us ring the bell for humanity and liberation. An injury to one is an injury to all.”

This movement is a powerful reminder that art, labor, and justice are deeply intertwined—and that the time for silence is long over.

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