Sag-Aftra strikes called off as Hollywood's actors union achieves deal with studio bosses

Actors union Sag-Aftra has announced that it has called off a historic 118-day strike after it reached a new agreement with Hollywood studio bosses.

Hollywood stars taking part in the strike, which started on 14 July, have been prohibited from producing new films that were to be made by struck studios, or promoting new releases. Blockbuster films affected by the strikes include 'Dune Part 2', starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, which had its premiere pushed from November 2023 until March 2024.

However, stars will be heading back to the screen and to the red carpet after the union said that it had reached a "tentative agreement" with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers (AMPTP). In a statement, Sag-Aftra described the new deal as one of "extraordinary scope". This includes pay increases, new security around the use of artificial intelligence in the industry and a "streaming participation bonus", all of which were main points for the union voting to strike in the first place.

The union said: "In a contract valued at over $1bn, 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 and 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.

“We have arrived at a contract that will enable Sag-Aftra members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”

A statement from the AMPTP read: “Today’s tentative agreement represents a new paradigm. It gives Sag-Aftra the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union, including the largest increase in minimum wages in the last 40 years; a brand new residual for streaming programs; extensive consent and compensation protections in the use of artificial intelligence; and sizable contract increases on items across the board. The AMPTP is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement and looks forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories.”