Pop the champagne, the SAG-AFTRA strike is officially over! On Wednesday, 78% of the union’s members voted to ratify the contract the leadership agreed with Hollywood’s major studios under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
That contract, agreed in November between SAG-AFTRA’s leadership and the AMPTP after months of negotiations, was enough for actors to return to work on the many television and film projects, like Deadpool 3, held at a standstill by the strike. However, the agreement wouldn’t become official without the approval of the general body of actors.
The new contract, which will be valid for three years from November, offers actors over $1 billion in compensation and benefits. It also offers protection against the looming threat of artificial intelligence, which has caused panic within the industry.
In a press release published on its website, the union revealed that 78.33% of those who voted approved the new contract while 21.67% disapproved. However, the number of approvals was enough to push the deal over the line and get everyone back to work. It is worth noting that only 38.15% of the Guild’s 160,000 members voted while the remaining 61.85% didn’t participate.
The new contract ensures that actors will enjoy a 7% increase in their minimum wages from November 9, 2023, a further 4% from July 1, 2024, and a final 3.5% from July 1, 2025, amounting to a total of 14.5% in minimum wage increase over the three years of the contract.
The contract also requires studios to obtain consent from performers, regardless of whether they are alive or deceased, before creating and using their digital replicas. It also asserts that actors are entitled to wages for the use of their digital replicas on-screen.
The ratified SAG-AFTRA contract also establishes a $40 million residual bonus for actors who feature in projects that air on streaming platforms should those projects achieve success. It also provides protection against sexual harassment, including requesting an Intimacy Coordinator for scenes that involve nudity or simulated sex, and outlines a set of rules for self-tape and virtual auditions.
The contract includes other landmark provisions, such as equity provision for actors of color who have historically faced discrimination on set concerning hair and makeup, among other additions. You can read more about it here.
In her comments on the ratification, SAG-AFTRA’s president Fran Drescher expressed pride at the unity that SAG-AFTRA members displayed over the 118-day strike. She commended actors’ commitment during the process and expressed certainty that SAG-AFTRA members will “continue their advocacy throughout our next negotiation cycle.”
In many quarters, the contract has been described as a major win against Hollywood’s biggest studios. However, some actors are not convinced it is a good deal. One of these is Kendrick Sampson of Insecure, who believes the new contract is not good enough, especially after the substantial sacrifices actors made over the course of the strike.
Regardless of Sampson’s views and others’, the contract’s ratification means the strike is now a thing of the past and actors in Hollywood, both in film and television, will return to work.
