SAG-AFTRA, the union representing Hollywood actors, has announced it has approved a tentative deal to end the strike!
And you know what that means?
As of 12.01 a.m. on Thursday, 9 November, actors can officially return to work! Productions can continue! We will finally be a step closer to finding out whether Belly chooses Jeremiah or Conrad! Colin and Penelope from Bridgerton can continue their thing, whatever it may be! And Emily can continue her stint in Paris! I could keep going….
You see, the union’s negotiating committee has approved the new deal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), with a unanimous vote. But the SAG-AFTRA national board will still have to approve it all this week too.
“We did it!!!” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher wrote on Instagram.
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“The Billion+ $ Deal! 3 X the last contract! New ground was broke everywhere! Thank you SAG-AFTRA members for hanging in and holding out for this historic deal!. Thank you negotiating committees, strike captains, staff… our sister unions for their unrelenting support!”
Speaking outside union headquarters, Kevin E. West who is a member of the negotiating committee, said the final deal is “not perfect – nothing is” but he also described it as an “extraordinary” outcome (as per Variety).
The AMPTP has also issued a statement saying they’re “pleased” with the result and are looking “forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories.”
So what does this new agreement include exactly? We don’t have many details yet, but all will be revealed on Friday after the national board votes. According to a post on the official SAG-AFTRA Instagram page, the deal will not only provide protections against Artificial Intelligence but also see most minimum pay deals rise by 7%.
View this post on Instagram
“We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work,” part of their message reads.
The news comes after 118 days of striking, the longest actors have taken a stance against the film and TV studios in Hollywood history.
(Feature Image Credit: Taylor Media/Shutterstock.com)
