Hollywood Actors Agree on Deal With Studios; Union Ends Strike After 118 Days

The SAG-AFTRA actors' union announced the news on 9 November.

SAG-AFTRA ends strike.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/X)

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced the end of the longest actors' strike against the film and television studios in Hollywood at 12:01 am on Thursday, 9 November. The decision comes after the union reached a tentative agreement with the studios to resolve the issue.

The industry-wide strike of the actors and writers follows a row about pay and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) with major film productions and streaming services like Netflix, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Paramount, Amazon, and Disney, etc., that all fall under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The union took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the news. They wrote, "The #SagAftraStrike IS OVER. We are thrilled & proud to tell you that today your TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee voted unanimously to approve a tentative agreement with the AMPTP.  As of 12:01 a.m. PT on Nov. 9, our strike is officially suspended & all picket locations are closed. We will be in touch in the coming days with information about celebration gatherings around the country."

They further mentioned, "In a contract valued at over one billion dollars, we have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope that includes 'above-pattern' minimum compensation increases, unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI. And for the first time establishes a streaming participation bonus. Our Pension & Health caps have been substantially raised, which will bring much needed value to our plans. In addition, the deal includes numerous improvements for multiple categories."

"Full details of the agreement will not be provided until the tentative agreement is reviewed by the SAG-AFTRA National Board," the union added.

Have a look at their whole thread on X here:

Members of SAG-AFTRA had walked off the sets on 13 July, after four weeks of failed negotiations with the studios.