Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) reached an agreement with Hollywood studio executives, which effectively ended the 118 day actors strike on November 9.

The actors associated with SAG-AFTRA have officially ended their strike on making fair wages for actors, along with safer working conditions. They have officially made a tentative deal with Hollywood studio executives and this deal is seen as a big win as the industry ignites again after being on standstill for six months. This contract is a breakthrough on actors’ pay and establishes stricter rules on the use of generative AI.

“SAG-AFTRA characterized the deal as a big win,” said CBS News. “With the contract achieving significant breakthroughs on actors’ pay and putting guardrails on the industry’s use of generative AI.” 

SAG-AFTRA along with other guilds demanded stricter rules on the use of Artificial Intelligence, (AI), in media productions. 

“The two other unions made similar demands as SAG-AFTRA,” writes Daniel Arkin with NBC News.  “Including stricter rules limiting the use of artificial intelligence in media productions, higher base compensation and a bigger cut of streaming profits.”

Andrew Hillier, French teacher at MCHS, theater director, and instructor, describes the implications the strike brought across the whole industry and some sectors of the job force such as technicians. 

“The important thing to remember is that these strikes have implications across the industry, as well as in other sectors of the job force,” said Hillier. “Technicians cannot work if actors are on strike, but additionally, these strikes serve as models to fight for improved working conditions in other areas.”

This strike brought a pause on a lot of people lifes, work, and even upcoming projects, but it was needed in order to instate improved working conditions and pay for workers across the industry.  

Now that a deal was reached, paused projects are now back in production with no time to waste as release date deadlines are soon approaching. 

For example, the new season of “Stranger Things” has been delayed until at least summer of 2025 due to the strikes, and now that it is over they can get started on production as early as January 2024.

Head negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland describes to NBC News how this agreement may not be perfect, but is overall the best option and encourages to go through with it as this agreement will be temporary.  

“Is it perfect? No. But it is groundbreaking,” Crabtree-Ireland states. “It’s a deal that achieves what our members need us to achieve with very significant increases in economics, more than the last three negotiations combined and something to build upon with AI,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “We will be back at it in two and a half years.”