Updated Dec 6, 2023 - Business

Hollywood actors union approves new 3-year contract following strike

Rebecca Falconer

SAG-AFTRA members and supporters chant outside Paramount Studios on day 118 of their strike against the Hollywood studios on November 8, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. — SAG-AFTRA members and supporters chant outside Paramount Studios during their 118-day strike against the Hollywood studios on Nov. 8 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Members of SAG-AFTRA actors union voted Tuesday night to ratify their new three-year contract, officially ending the longest strike against Hollywood studios.

The big picture: Over 78% of the 38% of members who voted approved the deal that SAG-AFTRA reached with studios last month following 118 days of strike action that halted TV and film production for months, per a statement from the union.

The agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) includes more than $1 billion in new compensation and benefit plan funding and "guardrails for the use of AI," among other benefits, according to the statement.
AMPTP congratulated SAG-AFTRA in a statement, saying: "With this vote, the industry and the jobs it supports will be able to return in full force."

Worth noting: Some union members have expressed concern that the deal doesn't stop studios from creating "synthetic performers," or characters created from artificial intelligence that "resemble real actors," per the New York Times.

Go deeper: Hollywood strikes are a taste of AI labor battles to come

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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Hollywood actors union approves new 3-year contract following strike

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