Hollywood actors end 118-day strike after reaching deal to protect artist community from 'AI threat'

By Dilara Karatas

ANKARA (AA) – Hollywood actors late Wednesday announced ending their almost four-month-long strike over job security and salary increases after reaching a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

The 118-day strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) demanding salary increases and job security against artificial intelligence has ended with a temporary agreement with the AMPTP.

“Today’s tentative agreement represents a new paradigm. It gives SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union, including the largest increase in minimum wages in the last forty years; a brand new residual for streaming programs; extensive consent and compensation protections in the use of artificial intelligence; and sizable contract increases on items across the board.

“The AMPTP is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement and looks forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories,” the AMPTP said in a statement, without elaborating on the terms of the tentative agreement.

The announcement expressed satisfaction with the temporary agreement, assuring actors of safeguards regarding the use of artificial intelligence.

SAG-AFTRA's statement confirms unanimous approval of the temporary agreement with AMPTP, officially ending the 118-day strike.

The contract, valued at over $1 billion, promises wages above industry standards and, for the first time, represents a comprehensive agreement on artificial intelligence, expanding retirement benefits and health insurance coverage.

- Hollywood writers, actors' strikes

SAG-AFTRA announced the strike in July after failing to reach an agreement with AMPTP on artists' wages and job security against artificial intelligence. After failing to reach an agreement with television production companies, artists went on strike in Los Angeles on July 15.

Earlier on May 2, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also went on strike, citing more challenging working conditions and lower pay despite a significant increase in annual series and film production in recent years. The two strikes were later combined.

The WGA's strike ended after five months with a pre-agreement with AMPTP. The three-year agreement, which union leaders unanimously approved, includes provisions on compensation, employment duration, and artificial intelligence control.

Writers last went on strike in 2007, resulting in a 100-day work stoppage and approximately $2 billion in losses.