In a statement to members on Wednesday, SAG-AFTRA celebrated the approval of a tentative new contract with major Hollywood studios that will bring the actors’ strike to a close at midnight tonight.
In its message, SAG-AFTRA said the deal is worth “over one billion dollars,” touting “‘above pattern’ minimum compensation increases” and “unprecedented provisions” governing the use of AI. The guild also said that for the first time, actors will receive a “streaming participation bonus,” as well as raises to the pension and benefits cap, provisions to increase diversity, and higher compensation for background actors.
“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,” the guild added.
The guild announced the new contract late Wednesday afternoon, a surprise that capped several days of tension in Hollywood as SAG-AFTRA deliberated what the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios in contract negotiations, called their “last, best, final” offer. That turned out not to quite be the case, as the tentative deal included many guild amendments to that offer.
In its own statement, AMPTP said, “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 forty 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.”
Read the full memo to members below:
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 PT on Nov. 9, our strike is officially suspended and all picket locations are closed. We will be in touch in the coming days with information about celebration gatherings around the country.
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.
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.
Full details of the agreement will not be provided until the tentative agreement is reviewed by the SAG-AFTRA National Board.
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.
Thank you all for your dedication, your commitment and your solidarity throughout this strike. It is because of YOU that these improvements became possible.
For all of TheWrap’s Hollywood strike coverage, click here.
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