After nearly four months on strike, the actors' union SAG-AFTRA has announced the end of the performers' strike after reaching a tentative agreement with Hollywood and the major studios. Although the full details of the pact have not been disclosed, SAG-AFTRA stresses that it has secured "above-average wage increases, unprecedented provisions and compensation in the face of the threat of artificial intelligence" and even "for the first time it has established a participation bonus for streaming." According to the union, the agreement is worth $1 billion to the motion picture industry.
THE #SagAftraStrike IS OVER.
🧵 Thread below. pic.twitter.com/KDTl9uKBRt
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023
A contract valued at 1 billion dollars
"We are thrilled and proud to tell you that today your TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee voted unanimously to approve a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. As of 12:01am on November 9, our strike is officially suspended and all picket locations are closed." With these words began the statement with which the union announced the end of a strike that had paralyzed the studios and the recording of series and films for the last four months.
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 including outsize compensation increases for background performers, and critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities.
"A historic agreement" for actors and Hollywood
In a post on Instagram, the president of the union, Fran Drescher, celebrated the agreement, which she described as "historic" and represents three times as much as the last offer that the studios had put on the table until now. "3X the last contract! New ground was broken everywhere!," she points out in her post.
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SAG-AFTRA also highlighted the fight and support of other union groups from different unions to bend the arm to Hollywood: "We also thank our union siblings -- the workers that power this industry -- for the sacrifices they have made while supporting our strike and that of the Writers Guild of America. We stand together in solidarity and will be there for you when you need us."
