SAG-AFTRA Strikes a Tentative Agreement With AMPTP, Marking the End of Nearly 4 Months of Dispute
SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP finally reach a breakthrough after a grueling 4-month strike, putting an end to the industry's turmoil
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SAG-AFTRA has officially reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with the AMPTP after nearly four months on strike.
On Wednesday, November 8, SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) unanimously approved the agreement, bringing an end to the strike at 12:01 a.m. PT on Thursday, November 9. The following day, the guild's national board will review and approve the deal. This news follows two weeks of negotiations between the union and the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), which represents major studios such as Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros-Discovery, Apple, Universal, Sony, Paramount, ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS. The union's response was given just before the AMPTP's 5 p.m. PT deadline.
If the deal is approved, the contract could take effect promptly. Otherwise, negotiations would essentially recommence. Both parties dedicated the last few days to finalizing the deal, which allegedly includes groundbreaking protections for actors against artificial intelligence and a significant pay raise, according to Variety. Most minimums will be raised by seven percent, surpassing the two percent increase received by the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America.
SAG-AFTRA, an organization that represents around 160,000 actors, commenced their strike in July, aligning themselves with the Writer's Guild of America who had previously halted work two months earlier. Both unions shared common demands for improved wages, enhanced residual payments from streaming platforms, and safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence.
The WGA and AMPTP have recently reached a new three-year contract in September. The contract, consisting of 94 pages, includes various benefits such as improved compensation, a requirement for minimum staff levels in TV writer’s rooms, better payment terms for screenwriters, and protections regarding the use of artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA has expressed their congratulations to WGA through social media and eagerly awaits the opportunity to review the details of the tentative agreement. Additionally, SAG-AFTRA is ready to resume negotiations with AMPTP once they are willing to genuinely consider their proposals.
"We commend your commitment, hard work, and unwavering unity throughout the past five months and take great pride in being your creative partners in the entertainment industry. We eagerly anticipate examining the details of the WGA and AMPTP's proposed agreement and are fully prepared to resume our negotiations with the AMPTP once they are ready to engage in a meaningful discussion regarding our proposals."
