They had to go through 118 days and many tough negotiations so that the actors – members of the SAG-AFTRA union can now announce that are returning to movie studios starting today.
The new three-year agreement to be signed within the next few days will boost the minimum wage for members, increase residual payments for webcasts, as well as film producers’ contributions to the union’s health and pension plans.
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SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher shared her excitement in a post on Instagram saying that “we did it” to reach the important agreement that improves the financial rewards of the union members by insuring them against the use of artificial intelligence by the studios.
After 118 days, the strike by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has ended. The union’s committee tentatively approved an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Hollywood studios.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the contract would boost minimum pay for members, increase residual payments for webcasts, boost contributions to the union’s health and pension plans and establish new rules on the use of artificial intelligence.
Both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are calling for increases in base pay and residuals (financial compensation paid to actors, directors and other artists involved in TV shows and movies in cases of repeats, rebroadcasting, DVD release, or streaming media) in the era of TV streaming and ensuring that their work is not replaced by artificial intelligence (AI).
