Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is the National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA. In this capacity, he oversees the world’s most influential entertainment union, comprised of more than 160,000 members worldwide who work in film, television, broadcast news, commercials, music, video games and more.
Crabtree-Ireland has played a critical role in many of SAG-AFTRA’s signature achievements over the past two decades, both in his current role and prior to that as longtime chief operating officer and general counsel, but is perhaps best known for his leadership of the union's 2023 negotiations and strike against the major motion picture and television studios and streaming companies, which ultimately lasted 118 days and achieved unprecedented gains including first-ever limitations on the implementation of artificial intelligence tools in the entertainment industry. Crabtree-Ireland is a strategic and creative lead negotiator, and has personally led or overseen negotiations for SAG-AFTRA’s Videogames, Commercials, Music, and Network Television contracts, as well as its standalone Netflix agreement, among others.
Crabtree-Ireland leads the union’s technology and innovation team. In collaboration with member leaders and staff members, the team has brought advanced technology to the service of our membership unique products and services to our membership, including mobile applications, employer service and analytics tools. sexual harassment prevention applications, and forward-looking tech engagement including the Labor Innovation and Technology Summit and the development of AI tools to help identify and counteract unfair use of Ai technology against artists. He is also the co-host of the SAG-AFTRA Podcast and the SAG-AFTRA Podcast en Español.
