SAG-AFTRA and Major Studios Reach Tentative Agreement
SAG-AFTRA Secures Tentative Agreement with Studios, Avoiding Strike Repeat
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has reached a tentative agreement with major studios, successfully sidestepping a potential repeat of the widespread strikes from 2023.
The agreement, announced on Saturday, results from negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Specific details of the contract will remain confidential until the SAG-AFTRA National Board conducts its review.
In a statement regarding the agreement, SAG-AFTRA said, "SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a successor contract to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Contracts covering motion pictures, scripted primetime dramatic television, streaming content and new media."
This agreement comes as a relief to SAG-AFTRA’s more than 160,000 members, who faced a significant four-month strike alongside the Writers Guild of America (WGA) last year.
The recent deal follows the WGA’s successful ratification of a four-year contract with the AMPTP last month. Although contracts typically span three years, the WGA secured an additional year in exchange for a $321 million contribution to its health fund.
Actor Chuck Slavin, a former SAG presidential candidate, emphasized the pressing issues at stake, particularly concerning healthcare, pensions, and the implications of artificial intelligence in the industry. “Overall, the future is rapidly changing,” Slavin stated. “And I think we need to protect image likeness when it comes to AI. We need to make sure people get royalties and residuals on the work they are doing. Scanning is a major threat.”
The tentative agreement is now poised for review by the SAG-AFTRA National Board in the upcoming days.
