Hollywood Actors and Writers End Strikes with Landmark Deals

After months of negotiations and a combined 268 days on strike, Hollywood actors and writers have secured landmark deals with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), ending the work stoppages that had brought the film and television industry to a standstill.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached tentative agreements with the AMPTP on Wednesday, November 8, bringing an end to their respective strikes that began in July and October.

The SAG-AFTRA deal, valued at over $1 billion, includes significant wins for actors, including larger-than-expected increases in minimum compensation, a first-time “streaming participation bonus,” and “unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI.”

The WGA deal also addresses the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry, prohibiting studios from using AI to write or rewrite literary material and requiring them to disclose whether materials handed over to writers have been generated by AI.

Both deals were hailed as historic victories for the unions, with SAG-AFTRA calling it “a deal of extraordinary scope” and the WGA saying it “resets the standard for creative workers across the industry.”

The strikes had a significant impact on the Hollywood production calendar, delaying or canceling numerous films and television shows. With the strikes now over, the industry is expected to ramp up to full production in the coming weeks.

• Hollywood actors and writers have ended their strikes after reaching tentative agreements with the AMPTP.
• The SAG-AFTRA deal includes larger-than-expected increases in minimum compensation, a first-time “streaming participation bonus,” and protections against AI.
• The WGA deal prohibits studios from using AI to write or rewrite literary material and requires them to disclose whether materials handed over to writers have been generated by AI.
• Both deals were hailed as historic victories for the unions.
• The strikes had a significant impact on the Hollywood production calendar, but the industry is expected to ramp up to full production in the coming weeks.