Striking Hollywood actors were set to meet with studios on Monday as the two sides restart negotiations on the heels of an epic conclusion to a writers’ strike last week.
SAG-AFTRA — the union that represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, and other media professionals around the world — began a strike on July 14 after failing to negotiate a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which bargains on behalf of the major studios including Warner Bros. (WBD), Disney (DIS), Netflix (NFLX), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), NBCUniversal (CMCSA), Paramount (PARA), and Sony (SONY).
Similarly to the writers, SAG-AFTRA is fighting for more protections surrounding the role of artificial intelligence in media and entertainment in addition to better pay, improved working conditions, and higher streaming residuals as more movies and TV shows go directly to streaming.
Prior to Monday’s meeting, SAG AFTRA and the AMPTP had not held official talks since the strike first began.
📢 Rise and shine #SagAftraMembers! As we return to negotiations, remember that our fight isn’t over. Join us on the picket lines or at an event near you TODAY and let’s keep pushing until we win what we deserve! 🎭💫 #SagAftraStrongpic.twitter.com/e5PBTfEhC2
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) October 2, 2023
The writers’ union, or Writers Guild of America (WGA), had been on strike for nearly 150 days prior to its studio deal. The guild was successful in achieving many of its demands, which included increased regulations surrounding the use of artificial intelligence, minimum staffing requirements, a boost to streaming residuals, and more.
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Industry watchers largely expect SAG-AFTRA to reach a similar conclusion, although the union made it clear that, while it will review the WGA’s agreement, the guild is ultimately committed to reaching a deal that’s specific to its member base.
Wage increases will be a likely sticking point as the union is currently demanding an 11% general wage increase in year one, a 4% increase in year two, and another 4% boost in year three.
To compare, the WGA achieved a 5% wage increase this year followed by a 4% jump in 2024 and a 3.5% boost in 2025. SAG-AFTRA member John Schmitt, second from right, and others carry signs on the picket line outside Netflix on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Los Angeles. Hollywood’s writers strike was declared over Tuesday night when board members from their union approved a contract agreement with studios, bringing the industry at least partly back from a historic halt in production. The actors strike continues in their bid to get better pay and working conditions. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Alexandra Canal is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @allie_canal, LinkedIn, and email her at alexandra.canal@yahoofinance.com.
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