LOS ANGELES (NEWSnet/AP) — Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists says no deal has been reached with studios and streaming services, and its leadership will vote on whether to strike.

The guild said its decision on whether to join already on-strike screenwriters  will be considered by leadership at a meeting later today. A press conference announcing the decision was scheduled for noon Pacific.

The actors' guild released a statement announcing that its deadline for negotiations had ended without a contract.

“The companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us. Until they do negotiate in good faith, we cannot begin to reach a deal,” said Fran Drescher, actors guild president.

The group representing the studios, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, said it is disappointed by failure to reach a deal.

“This is the Union’s choice, not ours. In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and more,” AMPTP said in a statement.

If the actors strike, they formally will join screenwriters on the picket lines outside studios and filming locations in a bid to get better terms from studios and streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

Issues in negotiations include unregulated use of artificial intelligence and the effects on residual pay brought on by the streaming ecosystem that has emerged in recent years.

In a letter to SAG-AFTRA membership, Drescher told actors to prepare to hit picket lines after the board's vote.

“As you know, over the past decade, your compensation has been severely eroded by the rise of the streaming ecosystem,” Drescher wrote. “Furthermore, artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to creative professions, and all actors and performers deserve contract language that protects them from having their identity and talent exploited without consent and pay.”

Members of the Writers Guild of America have been on strike since early May.

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