Hollywood Actors End 118-Day Strike After Reaching Tentative Deal with Studios
The agreement includes pay raises, streaming participation bonuses, and protections against AI
Actors in Hollywood decided to end their months-long walkout after initial agreements with studios were reached on Wednesday.
At midnight, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) announced the end of its 118-day strike after finally coming to a deal with companies including Disney and Netflix.
"We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers," the union said.
With a value of over $1 billion (€934 million), the new three-year deal has the backing of union leadership.
Fran Drescher (star of "The Nanny"), president of SAG-AFTRA, posted on Instagram, saying, "We did it!!!!" The Deal Worth Billion+ $"
Although the union's board and members still need to approve the agreement, it is generally anticipated that they will.
THE #SagAftraStrike IS OVER.
???? Thread below. pic.twitter.com/KDTl9uKBRt
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023
What does the deal entail?
The minimum pay for actors is set to increase by around 8% compared to the previous contract.
This was a compromise for both sides because it was less than the actors originall wanted but more than what the writers obtained after their strike.
The tentative deal also includes a new new "streaming participation" bonus. The rise of such platforms, which typically pay minimal "residuals" when a show gets rewatched, had severely eroded actors' incomes.
Actors had also expressed concerns about studios using AI to clone their likenesses or voices. The deal is expected to include provisions for concent and compensation regarding the use of AI.
Actors and crews back to work
The strike cost California more than $6 billion (€5.6 billion) in lost output, according to the Milken Institute.
It also affected other workers in the film industry, with prop masters, costume designers and other crew members unable to find work.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass welcomed the "fair agreement" that was reached on Wednesday, noting that the strikes had "impacted millions in Los Angeles and throughout the country."
"Now, we must lean in on local production to ensure that our entertainment industry rebounds stronger than ever and our economy is able to get back on its feet," she said in a statement.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
