The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents major studios and streamers, and SAG-AFTRA members has ratified a new contract, the Hollywood actor’s union announced on Tuesday.
About 78% of SAG-AFTRA members voted in support of ratifying the deal. According to the union, 38% of its members cast ballots.
After nearly a month of negotiations, the SAG-AFTRA union has approved its contract with Hollywood studios, ending the unprecedented strike that had completely disrupted the film and television industries.
Actors received compensation hikes, safeguards regarding the use of AI, and bonuses based on streaming in the agreement, which the union claimed was worth over $1 billion and was praised for its “extraordinary scope.”
The agreement expires on June 30, 2026.
SAG-AFTRA Members
The approved contract brings an end to a protracted drama that spanned almost four months and caused industry paralysis as well as existential concerns about the entertainment sector’s future. Following turbulent discussions throughout the year, Hollywood producers and performers finally signed a tentative agreement on November 8. The provisional agreement had been approved by 86% of the union’s national board.
“SAG-AFTRA members have remained incredibly engaged throughout this process, and I know they’ll continue their advocacy throughout our next negotiation cycle,” union president Fran Drescher said in a statement.
“The AMPTP member companies congratulate SAG-AFTRA on the ratification of its new contract, which represents historic gains and protections for performers. With this vote, the industry and the jobs it supports will be able to return in full force,” AMPTP said in a statement Tuesday.
The roughly 160,000-member SAG body deliberated for three weeks on whether or not to approve the agreement. Regarding the tentative agreement, the union was upbeat.
Drescher referred to the pact as “historic” at the time of its signing, and the studios stated that it “represents a new paradigm” for Hollywood, television, and the performers.
The Deal States-
- An immediate 11% pay increase for background actors
- A $40m (£32m) residual bonus for actors who work on series or films released via streaming services that become successful
- AI protections that require “informed consent and fair compensation” for any living or dead performer
- New make-up and hairstyling requirements, including experts for performers with diverse hair textures and skin types
- A first-ever requirement to hire intimacy co-ordinators on set for scenes involving sex and nudity
Hollywood Stars
Even while Hollywood’s top actors make millions of dollars a year, many lesser-known actors frequently struggle to make ends meet, especially in light of the industry’s changes and rising inflation.
In the ninety-year history of the union, the 118-day closure was the longest. Trade publication Deadline estimates that the combined effects of the writers’ and actors’ strikes cost the California economy more than $6.5 billion (£5.26 million).
