The SAG-AFTRA actors’ union said on Wednesday (November 8) that it has reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios to end the second of two strikes that shook the entertainment business as workers requested more compensation in the streaming TV era. SAG-AFTRA members went on strike in mid-July, demanding higher minimum wages, a portion of streaming service revenue, and protection from being replaced by “digital replicas” made by artificial intelligence (AI). The organization said it has struck a preliminary agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Walt Disney, Netflix, and other media corporations, on a new contract.
After union members decide to accept the settlement in the coming weeks, Hollywood will be able to resume full production for the first time since May. Actors expressed similar worries to film and television writers, who claimed that as streaming became more popular, income for working-class cast members had declined, making it difficult to earn a decent wage in locations such as Los Angeles and New York. TV series on streaming did not provide the same residual compensation that actors received during the golden age of broadcast television. Performers were particularly concerned about recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, which they thought may lead to studios modifying their likenesses without their consent or replacing human performers with digital pictures.
While WGA members resumed scriptwriting in late September, the prolonged SAG-AFTRA strike left many producers in the dark
George Clooney and other A-list celebrities expressed solidarity with lower-level performers and urged union leadership, notably SAG-AFTRA President and “The Nanny” actor Fran Drescher, to strike an agreement. When the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in the spring, many film and television sets were shut down. While WGA members resumed scriptwriting in late September, the prolonged SAG-AFTRA strike left many producers in the dark. According to a Milken Institute estimate, the disruptions cost California more than $6 billion in lost output. Many prop masters, costume designers, and other crew members battled to make ends meet due to a lack of work. FilmLA, the organization that approves filming licenses, stated that written production fell 77% from the same week last year.
The Hollywood strikes occurred during a year of other high-profile work stoppages. The United Auto Workers have completed a six-week strike at Detroit automakers. Teachers, nurses, and other healthcare workers also went on strike. Because of the work stoppages in Hollywood, broadcast networks had to fill their fall lineups with reruns, game programs, and reality series. It also caused movie studios to postpone important releases like “Dune: Part 2” since famous actors couldn’t promote them. Other significant films, such as the latest episode of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise and Disney’s live-action adaptation of the animated classic “Snow White,” have been pushed back until 2025.
