SAG-AFTRA is all about having a little more style and sophistication. Fran Drescher, of “The Nanny” fame, has announced that she will run for president of SAG-AFTRA. Current union president Gabrielle Carteris has announced that she will not run for re-election but has expressed her support for Drescher.
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Drescher will face competition for the presidency. “Stranger Things” actor Matthew Modine has announced that he will also run for SAG-AFTRA president. Modine last ran in 2019, but was defeated by Carteris, who had held the position since 2016.
SAG-AFTRA members will be able to vote for a new president on August 3 when ballots are sent out. Results will be tabulated on September 2.
In an Instagram post, Drescher said that her running mate will be actor Anthony Rapp, who is running for SAG-AFTRA national secretary-treasurer. They have the endorsement of Unite for Strength, one of the governing parties in SAG-AFTRA, led by Carteris. “I hope to apply my experience as president of the @CancerSchmancer Movement and my success on Capitol Hill as Public Diplomacy Envoy #4 to unite our coalition, enhancing member benefits and giving our 160K strong members a more significant presence on the national scene,” Drescher said on Instagram.
The Cancer Schmancer Movement is a nonprofit organization founded by Drescher to help educate teens and adults about how to identify and eliminate the causes of cancer.
Modine is running for president and Joely Fisher is running for national secretary-treasurer. Both are running against Membership First, another governing party in SAG-AFTRA. “We are excited to begin changing the direction of the union,” Modine and Fisher said in a joint statement. “We have seen a weakening of our contracts with each negotiation. Our financial participation has not kept pace with the extraordinary profits our employers earn. We intend to change that.”
In their campaign platform, Modine and Fisher talked about wanting to improve the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan, including advocating for higher studio contributions to union health insurance and improved residual.
On its website, Unite for Strength talked about its accomplishments under Carteris, including negotiating a contract with Netflix and creating a union hotline to handle sexual harassment complaints. Under Drescher, Unite for Strength plans to advocate for balance increases and salary increases for background actors.
Carteris will still participate in SAG-AFTRA. She is running for the SAG-AFTRA national board alongside actor Camryn Manheim, who is also stepping down as SAG-AFTRA secretary-treasurer.
“I have been delighted to serve the members of SAG-AFTRA over the past five and a half years and it is with joy and humility that I pass the baton to a new team of experienced and dedicated leaders who who will guide the union into operation. future,” Carteris said in a statement to Deadline. “With Fran Drescher at the helm, I know our union and members are in great hands. It is bittersweet to move on, but I do so with great gratitude and confidence in the remarkable Fran and Anthony Rapp.”
