15 Years of Fighting USAN (& now The Coalition2025) Lies
15 Years Later: Massive Corporate Gains, Minimal Member Returns — Where Are Our Residuals?
Fifteen years ago, we were promised that our sacrifices would lead to sustainability. We were told that streaming was “the future,” and that patience would pay off. But here we are — in 2025 — watching our employers hit record-breaking financial milestones while union members continue to face shrinking residuals, rising healthcare costs, and diminished protections.
Let’s break down what “growth” has really looked like — not for us, but for them.
💰 Barbie Breaks the Billion-Dollar Ceiling
In a historic achievement, Barbie crossed $1 billion at the global box office, putting Warner Bros. in the spotlight and filling executive pockets with hefty bonuses. Yet many of the creatives and background performers who brought the film to life continue to see negligible returns. No share in streaming revenue. No cut of merchandising. No path to sustainability.
🍏 Apple’s Subscription Empire Surpasses 1 Billion
Apple now boasts over 1 billion paid subscriptions — from music and TV to news and fitness — driving its Q3 service revenue to record highs. That growth didn’t happen in a vacuum. It happened because of content — our content. Writers, actors, voiceover artists, editors, and creatives of all kinds helped build that ecosystem. But where are the residuals that reflect that?
🛒 Amazon Pulls in $134.4 Billion in One Quarter
Amazon’s Q2 earnings reached an astronomical $134.4 billion. With Prime Video expanding its content catalog and subscription base, the company continues to profit from our work. But how many performers and creators are seeing fair compensation for streaming plays? Spoiler: the answer isn’t “134.4 billion dollars.”
💣 Oppenheimer Hits $550 Million, Surpassing Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer crossed $500 million globally, within a week, overtaking Dunkirk in worldwide box office. But again — aside from the top stars — how many of the working actors, background artists, stunt performers, and voice actors are seeing meaningful residuals/compensation?
So Where Did All That Money Go?
While corporations reaped the rewards of streaming and global box office success, our union’s leadership — under the influence of USAN/UFS and now The Coalition2025 — made deal after deal that hollowed out our future. We were fed talking points about “historic gains” while our healthcare coverage was gutted, our pension fund destabilized, and our residuals rendered obsolete in the streaming economy.
Many of us warned this would happen. We rang the alarm when the first “New Media” contracts appeared. We questioned the math when our residual checks shrank to cents — literally. And now, after years of “givebacks,” we see the truth in full color:
They got rich. We got left behind.
What Comes Next?
If our union is to survive — and if future generations of performers and creators are to thrive — we must demand accountability and transparency. That means:
- Renegotiating streaming revenue based on ad and other revenue earned due to performers audience loyalty.
- Securing stronger healthcare funding and employer contributions.
- Refusing to accept contracts that reward employers while leaving members in the dust.
- Investigating and calling out employer influence in union elections and leadership decisions.
We’ve sacrificed enough. The numbers don’t lie. It’s time our union fought as hard for us as we have for our careers.
