Entertainment
SAG-AFTRA strike nears end as Hollywood Studios surrender
After a prolonged strike lasting 118 days, the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and major studios reached a tentative deal on a new contract, signaling a potential return to normalcy in Hollywood within the coming weeks.
The strike officially concluded as of 12:01 a.m. PT on Thursday, November 9, putting an end to over seven months of labor unrest in the entertainment industry.
This strike was particularly significant as it marked the first joint strike by the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA in over 60 years.
A pivotal day of studio earnings results and critical negotiations led to this breakthrough.
The 17-member negotiating committee of the actors guild unanimously voted to recommend the tentative agreement to the SAG-AFTRA board, concluding a series of renewed negotiations that began on October 24.
High-profile figures such as Ted Sarandos from Netflix, Bob Iger from Disney, Donna Langley from NBCUniversal, and David Zaslav from Warner Bros Discovery were actively involved in the negotiations, underlining the significance of the talks.
Specific details of the agreement will be disclosed when it is presented to the SAG-AFTRA board on Friday.
This development comes shortly after the Writers Guild ratified their own agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, setting the stage for SAG-AFTRA’s agreement.
Last Friday, the studios responded to the guild’s counteroffer with a “historic” package, and this was followed by an expanded group of studio leaders, including representatives from Paramount, Amazon, and Apple, briefing SAG-AFTRA on the offer.
The proposal was reported to include substantial wage and bonus increases as well as comprehensive protections related to artificial intelligence.
Negotiations continued throughout the week, with the AMPTP expressing the need for a swift resolution by 5 p.m. PT today, emphasizing the urgency of saving the broadcast season and the 2024 summer movie slate. The tentative agreement was confirmed shortly thereafter.
Assuming the SAG-AFTRA board approves the tentative deal, eligible members of the 160,000-strong actors guild will soon vote on ratifying the new agreement.
With the strike officially ending just after midnight and before the ratification vote is complete, the industry could witness a swift return to work and a rapid resumption of production.
This tentative agreement, which comes after six months of Hollywood strikes, highlights the industry’s shifting dynamics and divisions over the past decade.
The strikes are estimated to have cost the Southern California economy over $6.5 billion and led to the loss of 45,000 entertainment industry jobs.
While guild members displayed unwavering unity during this labor action, many have endured severe financial hardships, along with below-the-line workers, who went without work for months.