SAG-AFTRA Reaches Tentative Deal on Studio Contract

SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative four-year deal with the major studios, avoiding a repeat of the strikes that occurred three years ago.

The union’s agreement comes shortly after the Writers Guild of America announced its own tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Both unions engaged in lengthy strikes against the major studios in 2023.

“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,” the union stated.

The AMPTP also confirmed the agreement on its website.

Like the WGA, SAG-AFTRA has agreed to extend the typical three-year term by one year, at the studios’ request for a longer period of labor peace.

While the WGA received a $321 million injection into its health fund in exchange for the extended term, the details of what SAG-AFTRA received in return for the additional year have not been disclosed. However, it is believed that the AMPTP improved its offer on Saturday, leading to the agreement.

The agreement is subject to approval by the union’s board and ratification by its members before taking effect. The terms of the agreement will be revealed after the board has reviewed it, with the review expected to take place in the coming days.

Although the current contract does not expire until June 30, negotiators faced a deadline due to the upcoming negotiations with the Directors Guild of America starting on May 11. If no agreement had been reached with SAG-AFTRA, talks would have been suspended and resumed in June.

SAG-AFTRA began negotiations with the AMPTP on Feb. 9, nearly five months before the previous contract’s expiration date, allowing ample time to reach an agreement and avoid further industry disruptions.

Key issues in the negotiations included artificial intelligence and streaming residuals, similar to those in the 2023 strike. The union secured significant protections in 2023 against “digital replicas,” such as AI avatars resembling human performers, including consent and compensation provisions.

SAG-AFTRA also sought to impose greater restrictions on synthetic characters like Tilly Norwood and increase residual bonuses for performers appearing on popular streaming shows. Actors have long criticized streaming residuals as inadequate compared to traditional broadcast and syndication residuals.

Initial negotiations ran until March 15 before pausing for the WGA negotiations. With the WGA reaching an agreement earlier than expected, SAG-AFTRA resumed negotiations on April 27.

The Producers Guild of America commended SAG-AFTRA on reaching the agreement, emphasizing the importance of fair pay and benefits for all industry workers.

Updated with further details.