As the historic strike between Hollywood actors and writers continues, striking union members are taking their demands to city elected leaders.

“86% of my members cannot even make the $26,500 a year threshold to be eligible for their health benefits,” Fran Drescher, former star of “The Nanny” and President of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists — or SAG-AFTRA, said.

During a rally inside of City Hall Park Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA members as well as members of the Writers Guild of America, got support from some City Council members.

What You Need To Know

  • During a rally inside of City Hall Park Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA members as well as members of the Writers Guild of America, got support from some City Council members

  • Dozens of union members urged television producers to return to the bargaining table

  • The rally came before a hearing of the City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor where union leaders testified in support of resolutions sponsored by several City Council members

  • In a show of support for striking union members, the committee passed the resolutions unanimously

“We know that the working conditions and expectations continue to increase while your salaries remain stagnant,” City Council Member Carmen De La Rosa said.

Dozens of union members urged television producers to return to the bargaining table.

“When there’s a deeper yes burning on the inside and I’m responding to the Yes,” Raymond Shuler, an actor and SAG-AFTRA member, said. “Yes, for fair wages, for fair conditions is strong. So it makes it easy to be here.”

The rally came before a hearing of the City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor where union leaders testified in support of resolutions sponsored by City Council Members Carmen De La Rosa and Amanda Farias, calling on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to work with the unions to reach a deal that benefits everyone.

During her testimony, Drescher, called Hollywood executives greedy.

“We cannot allow big business greed to take away our careers, to take away our livelihoods,” she said. “The buck stops here. We are at a very serious crossroads and they are on the wrong side of history.

SAG-AFTRA is demanding better pay and protections. Specifically, an increase in the minimum pay, higher streaming residuals, protections of actors’ likeness from artificial intelligence, and compensation for work used to train artificial intelligence.

“It’s not that we like striking, but unfortunately with the AI and the residuals,” Anthony Riguardi, actor and SAG-AFTRA, said. “And the health benefits is a major cause. Background actors, they could use their face one time and they could just use their face for eternity.”

Actors went on strike in the middle of last month and writers hit the picket line in the beginning of May after negotiations stalled between the two unions and producers representing companies, including Disney, Netflix and Amazon. Union leaders say members are making a huge sacrifice.

“For 90 days we’ve lain awake at night wondering if we’ll ever get our beloved hard-won careers back,” Vice President of the Writers Guild of America East Lisa Takeuchi Cullen said. “If we’ll ever again get a paycheck for writing.”

In a show of support for striking union members, the committee passed the resolutions unanimously.

In statement, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said, “we remain committed to finding a path to mutually beneficial deals for both unions.”