SAG-AFTRA Ratifies New Deal With Studios, Formally Ending Strike

A vast majority of SAG-AFTRA members voted to ratify a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, bringing the 118-day actors' strike to a formal conclusion, the union announced on Tuesday.

The contract was approved by 78.33% of voting members, with 21.67% voting against and a turnout of 38.15%. The contract runs for three years and expires on June 30, 2026.

"I'm proud of our SAG-AFTRA membership," guild president Fran Drescher said in a statement. "They struck for 118 days to grant the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee the necessary leverage to secure over $1 billion in gains, along with the union's first-ever protections around AI technology. Now they've locked in the gains by ratifying the contract. SAG-AFTRA members have remained incredibly engaged throughout this process, and I know they'll continue their advocacy throughout our next negotiation cycle. This is a golden age for SAG-AFTRA, and our union has never been more powerful."

SAG-AFTRA announced on Nov. 8 that the guild and studios had reached a tentative deal, with the union's negotiating committee unanimously approving the three-year agreement and ending the months-long work stoppage.

"In a contract valued at over one billion dollars, we have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope that includes 'above-pattern' minimum compensation increases, unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI, and for the first time establishes a streaming participation bonus," the guild said in a statement to its members at the time. "Our Pension & Health caps have been substantially raised, which will bring much needed value to our plans. In addition, the deal includes numerous improvements for multiple categories including outsize compensation increases for background performers, and critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities... 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."

Members of SAG-AFTRA had been on strike since July 13, after more than a month of contract negotiations between the guild and the AMPTP ended without agreement on a new deal. The strike's eventual conclusion in early November came almost exactly one month after the Writers Guild of America voted in favor of ratifying its own new contract with the AMPTP, following a 146-day strike.