Gabrielle Carteris, the President of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), issued the following statement to Spec Sports host/journalist Jon Alba regarding the unionization of pro-wrestling following the release of company star, Zelina Vega.
Wrestling is as much about media as it is sports, and we are going to directly engage with members of this profession to help find ways for them to protect themselves.
“As more people reinvest in unions, and as more working people are harassed by employers who don’t want to protect them, SAG-AFTRA is committed to doing what we can to help professional wrestlers secure the protections they deserve.”
SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris
Carteris had asked Vega to contact her via social media after it became known that Vega’s departure was due to the new edict on third-party platforms like Twitch, Cameo, and OnlyFans, a move that has left many in WWE unhappy due to their large followings and ways of making extra income. Even after the edict was put into place Vega created an OnlyFans account under a different name, which upset the WWE brass. Check out Carteris’ statement below.
I inquired with @sagaftra president @TheGabrielle_C following her tweet recognizing @Zelina_VegaWWE’s call for unionization. This is her statement response, which seems to be one of the first times SAG-AFTRA is publicly offering support for pro wrestlers. #WWE pic.twitter.com/jX4E6To5oo
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) November 16, 2020
