SAG-AFTRA has announced that it has agreed on a tentative deal with Hollywood studios to end the strike.
After 118 days of the actors' guild being out on strike, SAG-AFTRA and the studios came to a settlement and announced a preliminary deal on a new contract that could see the acting industry up and running again within weeks.
The union issued a public statement that read: "In a contract valued at over $1bn, we have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope," per The Guardian. Among its wins were increases in minimum salaries, a new "streaming participation" bonus, and "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI".
"We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers," the union stated in a message to members, as cited by Reuters.
Chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told the publication that there were "definitely some tears, a lot of big smiles, a lot of hugs" when the agreement was reached. "It is a really intense thing to be going through a strike that's this long and so challenging," he added.
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher also shared her excitement on Instagram, writing: "We did it!!!! The Billion+ $ Deal! 3X the last contract! New ground was broke everywhere! Ty sag aftra members for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!"
"Ty neg comm, strike captains, staff, Duncan & Ray, our lawyers, the IA team, family, and friends," she said, expressing her gratitude to AMPTP, which represents Walt Disney, Netflix, and other media companies.
SAG-AFTRA is made up of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and represents more than 160,000 media performers. It is the largest performer and broadcasters union, and many of its members are celebrities.
The acting strike began two months after the Writers Guild of America's strike commenced, with the hopes of both writers and actors coming together to fight for better wages, among other demands.
It was the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have picketed film and television production companies, a move that effectively shut down Hollywood and put it to a standstill.
Many well-known celebrities showed their support behind the strike, including Jane Fonda, Sarah Jessica Parker, Adam Sandler, Pedro Pascal, Aubrey Plaza, Jennifer Coolidge, Bryan Cranston, and Brian Cox.
Under the rules, members were not allowed to "accept new work for the promotion of struck companies or their content," and they had to "refrain from posting on social media about any struck work," whether they were being paid for it or not, and could not "participate in conventions such as Comic-Con on behalf of or to promote" the corporations that they are striking against.
According to reports, SAG-AFTRA's national board will consider the agreement on Friday (November 10), and the union will then reveal further details after that meeting.
A final ratification vote by members is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
