After 118 days on strike, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have finally reached a deal. The strike, which started on July 14, came after the two groups could not come to an agreement on issues like streaming residuals and the use of AI.
The strike officially ended at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday November 9. In an email to members, the union wrote, "We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”
At the beginning of the strike, SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said that union actors made a median salary of $46,960 in 2021. Throughout the strike, hundreds of actors, writers, and crew members joined picket lines. Many celebrities were vocal in their support of the union holding strong until the deal was the best it could be; some, including Aubrey Plaza, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jon Hamm, and Mark Ruffalo, even signed a letter asking the union leaders to hold strong.
When the deal was finally reached, Fran Drescher, union president, posted about the historic moment. “We did it!!!! The Billion+ $ Deal! 3X the last contract! New ground was broke everywhere!” wrote Drescher on Instagram.
The actors strike was part of a larger labor movement throughout Hollywood that hit a fever pitch over the summer. In May, the Writers Guild of America also went on strike, which ended with a contract ratified in early October.
The impacts of the strikes were felt throughout the industry, including with many other unions who stood in solidarity with writers and actors over the course of the months. While SAG-AFTRA members and the union board still need to ratify the deal, there's no doubt work will start back up as soon as possible.
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