A tentative agreement that will put an end to the longest-running actors’ strike against Hollywood’s film and television studios has been approved by SAG-AFTRA negotiators.
The union declared on Wednesday that the 118-day strike would come to an official end on Thursday at 12:01 a.m.
The agreement was unanimously approved by the union’s negotiating committee. The SAG-AFTRA national board will next consider and approve the agreement on Friday.
The last few days were devoted to finalizing the agreement, which will result in a historic pay increase for actors as well as the first-ever safeguards against artificial intelligence. Most minimums under the agreement will rise by 7%, which is 2% more than the increases granted to the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America.
An email distributed to SAG-AFTRA members states that the agreement also includes increases in health and pension contributions, as well as a “streaming participation bonus.” The union claimed that the contract’s total value exceeded $1 billion.
“We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers,” the union said in the email. “Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”
It is anticipated that the union will host festivities across the nation.
Committee member Kevin E. West reported that following the contract’s approval, there were “tears of exhilaration and joy” in the committee room.
“The final vote was unanimous. That’s a difficult thing to accomplish,” West said, speaking outside union headquarters. “It’s honestly been a really long two weeks.”
Although the final agreement is “not perfect—nothing is,” he claimed that reaching this point was a “extraordinary” accomplishment.
Committee member Ben Whitehair described the agreement as a “massive win” for the union.
“It’s incredibly emotional,” he said. “We’ve made history.”
According to him, the union received a “structural change” in its pay from streaming services. Despite not getting everything it wanted, he stated that the union would return in 2026 to demand more in the next negotiations.
“When performers understand what was gained, they’re going to be thrilled,” Whitehair said.
The complete information is anticipated to be made public on Friday following the national board vote.
