PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rep. Seth Magaziner vowed to support members of the New England Local Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) in their fight for better pay.

The strike, which began earlier this year, has brought Hollywood to a screeching halt.

“This is a strike that is impacting lots of Rhode Islanders,” Magaziner said. “We are very proud of our film and television industry.”

Magaziner listened as local actors and writers voiced their frustrations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Disney, Netflix, Paramount and numerous other production companies.

“I think the most I ever made in a year was $11,000,” said Susan Bergeron, a professional background artist and Warwick resident. “I now average about $4,000 to $5,000 a year.”

Bergeron said she currently lives on a fixed income and barely scrapes by.

“If it weren’t for [my fixed income], I would starve,” she said.

Magaziner said roughly 10% of SAG-AFTRA members earned more than $26,000 a year, which is the threshold to qualify for health insurance.

“[That means] 90% make lesst han $25,000 a year at the same time that the CEOs of the studios on average earn salaries of more than $30 million a year, in addition to other perks,” he said.

The union members are striking not only for better pay, but also for job security. With the rise of artificial intelligence, SAG-AFTRA is requesting safeguards for members’ voices and images.

Andrea Lyman, president of New England’s SAG-AFTRA, expects the strike to continue until a fair contract has been agreed upon.

“We are here and we are ready to return to the table,” she said. “We are ready to negotiate for a reasonable and fair contract.”

In a statement to 12 News, a spokesperson for AMPTP said the organization “is eager to have a meaningful negotiation about the issues on the table.”

“The AMPTP fully recognizes that the talented creative community makes the entertainment industry possible [and] is focused on reaching a swift resolution to the strike,” the statement reads.