After the screenwriters, the US actors union SAG-AFTRA also recently reached an agreement with the studios and streaming services. The board has now approved the preliminary agreement with a clear majority of 86 percent and recommended that union members vote “yes” to the agreement.
To ratify the decision, there will be a vote by December 5th. Voting members will receive a postcard next week with instructions on how to participate traditionally or online.
According to the union, the overall package of agreements reached is worth over a billion US dollars and is described by the union as a “milestone” – including higher pay for actors, better social benefits and regulations relating to the use of artificial intelligence Film and series. With the exception of wage increases, the current contracts should remain in force during the ratification process. The new contracts will then be valid until June 30, 2026.
Actress and union president Fran Drescher (66) explains in a statement that she wanted to redefine SAG-AFTRA “not only as the largest, but also as the most powerful entertainment union in the world.” She describes the deal with the representatives of the studios and streaming services as “historic” and a “paradigm shift of seismic proportions.”
The actors’ union had previously called for industrial action for 118 days. The Hollywood screenwriters from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who came to an agreement with the other side at the end of September, went on strike for a little longer.
Actors are currently allowed to work on new projects again as usual. However, due to the double strike, numerous films and series have been postponed in recent months – some planned projects were unable to begin filming.
For consumers, the new deal could mean that they will have to dig deeper into their pockets in the future, because streaming services such as Netflix or Disney could possibly pass on the additional costs to customers. At Netflix, subscription prices have recently been partially increased in the USA, France and Great Britain.
