Title: SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood Studios Reach Agreement, Ending Historic Strike
Los Angeles, CA – In a significant development for the entertainment industry, the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced the resolution of the longest actors’ strike in Hollywood history. The union confirmed that the strike, which began in mid-July, will officially conclude at 12:01 am on Thursday.
SAG-AFTRA successfully negotiated a tentative agreement with major Hollywood studios to address the concerns raised during the second of two strikes that have recently shaken the entertainment sector. The primary issues included demands for higher pay in the era of streaming television, an increase in minimum salaries, a share of streaming service revenue, and protection against being replaced by “digital replicas” created by artificial intelligence (AI).
Union negotiators reached a preliminary deal on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), representing prominent media companies such as Walt Disney and Netflix. The breakthrough paves the way for Hollywood to return to full production for the first time since May, pending ratification by union members in the coming weeks.
Actors shared similar concerns with their counterparts in the film and television writing community, highlighting the impact of streaming on compensation for working-class cast members. The absence of residual payments for TV series on streaming platforms further compounded the challenges faced by actors in cities like Los Angeles and New York.
Additionally, the fear of advances in artificial intelligence manipulating actor likenesses without consent or replacing human actors with digital images became a pressing issue during negotiations.
A-list stars, including George Clooney, expressed solidarity with lower-level actors and urged union leadership, notably SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, to reach a resolution.
The work stoppage, which followed the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike in the spring, led to numerous film and TV sets shutting down. The combined impact cost California over $6 billion in lost output, according to estimates from the Milken Institute.
Prop masters, costume designers, and other crew members faced financial struggles due to the scarcity of work. FilmLA, the organization responsible for approving filming permits, reported a staggering 77% decline in scripted production during the week of Oct. 29 compared to the same period the previous year.
These Hollywood strikes coincided with a year of other notable job actions, including the United Auto Workers’ six-week walkouts at Detroit carmakers, as well as strikes by teachers, nurses, and healthcare workers.
The work stoppages forced broadcast networks to rely on reruns, game shows, and reality programming to fill fall lineups. Movie studios also postponed major releases, including Dune: Part 2, the latest Mission: Impossible installment, and Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White, all rescheduled for 2025.
