Nearly five months after the historic SAG-AFTRA strike began, the union representing actors officially ratified a new, three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
On Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA leadership shared the news of the new contract’s ratification, writing on social media that the deal had a nearly eight-tenths approval rating from union members.
“Today we close out one of the most important chapters in recent entertainment industry history,” the union wrote in one message on X — formerly known as Twitter. “The 2023 TV/Theatrical Contracts have officially been ratified by SAG-AFTRA members by a vote of 78.33% to 21.67% with a turnout of 38.15%.”
In a series of follow-up messages, SAG-AFTRA called the ratification an “enormous victory for working performers” and touted some of the main perks of the new deal.
Among the most important benefits settled upon in the agreement between the AMPTP and SAG-AFRTRA are things like increased wages, higher compensation and residuals for streaming projects and “crucial” protections for actors regarding the use of AI.
It was a long haul to get to this point as the studios and the union put up a fight for 118 days, the second longest SAG strike in history, only behind the 2000 strike which lasted more than six months.
During the most recent strike, actors were unable to promote their projects — including all TV shows and movies — that premiered as negotiations were underway. They were also unable to film new content unless a project had received an interim agreement.
“A huge thank you is owed to each and every member for your sacrifice and solidarity throughout 2023,” the union wrote Tuesday. “Let’s celebrate what we’ve accomplished together and continue to foster the bonds that have been forged throughout this season of solidarity.”
In early November after a deal was reached, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher told ET that she felt “very relieved and kind of tired, but a good tired, because we did a job well done.”
The recently reelected leader of the union and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland were at the center of the talks with Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Warner Bros Discovery’s David Zaslav.
“The proof’s in this contract and it was a herculean task. It was kind of a David and Goliath story, and you know how that ended,” the Nanny alum said. “So we feel very, very grateful, but also thankful to the AMPTP, because once they understood the seriousness of our proposal, and that put it in the context of the historical moment that we were in, and the necessity for a seminal contract, they met the moment.”
For more headlines and coverage from the SAG-AFTRA strike, check out the links below.
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