After 118 days, the SAG-AFTRA strike has come to an end. On Wednesday night, Variety reported that the union’s negotiating committee agreed to the latest contract with a unanimous vote—thus ending the halt on Hollywood productions. “We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers,” the union explained in an email. “Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”
Union representative Ben Whitehair called the deal a “massive win” for actors. “When performers understand what was gained, they are going to be thrilled,” he said. This historic feat comes barely a month after the Writers Guild of America (WGA) ratified their contract. Their negotiations began earlier this year, when—for the first time in over six decades—the WGA and SAG-AFTRA joined forces. By striking against Hollywood, they both fought for higher wages and better working conditions, while effectively shutting down production across the globe.
Now that it’s over, let’s take a closer look at what happened. Below we’ve answered your questions about the strike.
What Were the Actors Fighting For?
Much like the writers, SAG members fought for better pay—and against declining residuals. "This is an unprecedented inflection point in our industry, and what might be considered a good deal in any other years is simply not enough," a SAG-AFTRA letter to leadership stated back in June. "We feel that our wages, our craft, our creative freedom, and the power of our union have all been undermined in the last decade. We need to reverse those trajectories. With inflation and continued growth in streaming, we need a seismic realignment of our minimum pay and new media residuals."
How Did Hollywood Respond?
During a CNBC appearance, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that he thought the strikers were not being "realistic." "It’s very disturbing to me. We’ve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we’re facing, the recovery from COVID which is ongoing, it’s not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption,” Iger said. "I understand any labor organization’s desire to work on behalf of its members to get the most compensation and be compensated fairly based on the value that they deliver... There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive." Naturally, his comments weren't exactly met with cheers.
Will TV Shows and Films Still Release as Planned?
Yes and no. Many completed series will premiere as usual throughout the year. In fact, audiences won't particularly notice a change in the TV release schedule until next year. For upcoming seasons that have yet to be written, the WGA strike halted production or delayed filming indefinitely, which led to 2024 releases becoming 2025 releases and so on. Many upcoming projects from Disney, including Marvel films and Avatar sequels, have already been pushed back, for example. Unscripted series, such as reality television, broadcast, and talk shows have continued.
the year in entertainment
What Could Actors Do (or Not Do) During the Strike?
Per the agreement of the strike, actors crossed the picket line if they did any of the following: promoted their upcoming projects, attended premieres, participated in press interviews, or engaged in film festival activities. These were measures designed to put more pressure on the studios in the fight for better pay and fairer working conditions.
How Long Did the Strike Last?
The actors' strike lasted a total of 118 days. The last time both SAG and WGA went on strike in 1960, SAG came to an agreement in six weeks, while the WGA took 148 days. The 2000 SAG strike—the longest in history—went on for six months.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pr%2FQrqCrnV6YvK57xKernqqklravucSnq2iZZGmCdYCRbXBoq5GceqKy06uYZpmTqbyzv4ysq6uhm5p6pLvNrJyqrZWjsKa%2FjJ6vqaSRnrumsI4%3D