SAG-AFTRA Ratified New Deal, Officially Ending the Strike
The SAG-AFTRA members voted in favor of the new 3-year contract with studios, ending the 118-day strike, but with reservations on AI protections.
On December 5, 2023, actors in Hollywood ended six months of intense labor disputes by voting in favor of a new three-year contract with studios, although reservations regarding the contract's artificial intelligence (AI) protections remained. This decision by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) comes as a significant development in the entertainment industry, officially putting an end to the strike.
The ratification, which saw over 50,000 SAG-AFTRA members participate, passed with a 78 percent approval rate, a stark difference from the screenwriters' contract in October, which received a 99 percent approval. The actors' deal, valued at over $1 billion, includes a variety of benefits such as a 7 percent first-year raise, improvements in health care and on-set services, and the introduction of intimacy coordinators for sex scenes.
One of the most discussed aspects of the new contract is its approach to AI. The agreement ensures that studios cannot create digital replicas of performers without their permission and payment, a new right for actors. However, it does not prevent studios from using AI to create “synthetic fakes”, or completely fabricated characters, by blending features from different actors. This has raised concerns among union members, including SAG-AFTRA board member Matthew Modine, who has pointed out the potential for job reductions, particularly for background and stunt performers. Another debated issue is the studios' right to require body scans as a condition for employment and to use past performances for AI tool training.
Despite these concerns, SAG-AFTRA's president, Fran Drescher, described the contract as a significant victory, highlighting the strong sense of solidarity among union members throughout the negotiation process. The ratification by the actors has been well-received by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, signaling a return to full-scale operations in the industry. The past strikes have had a considerable financial impact, with thousands of on-set professionals other than writers and actors out of work, and industry losses estimated at around $10 billion nationwide. The resolution is expected to bring relief and stability not only to Hollywood but also to production locations across the United States.