The union representing film and television actors has struck a tentative deal with entertainment industry studios on a new labor contract, SAG-AFTRA announced Wednesday, moving the sides closer to ending what has been a contentious nearly four-month strike.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers made what the group described as its “last, best and final offer” to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on Saturday.Â
SAG-AFTRA, which represents roughly 160,000 performers, said on social media on Monday that it was pushing to “bring this strike to an end responsibly,” while noting that negotiators remained at odds on key issues, including the studios’ use of artificial intelligence.Â
The AMPTP is a trade association that represents movie and TV producers, including Apple, Amazon, Disney, Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers Discovery (Some CBS News staff are SAG-AFTRA members, but they work under a different contract than the actors and are not affected by the strike.)
The film and TV work stoppage — the longest in SAG’s history — has halted film and scripted TV production, delaying major movie releases and causing financial hardship for thousands of working actors.
Sticking points in the often bitter negotiations included actors seeking limitations on studios using AI to re-create actors’ likenesses and performances, updated compensation structures to reflect the growth of streaming, and enhanced health and retirement benefits.
Specifically, actors pushed for more lucrative residual payments for their work in streaming shows, saying their income has plunged even as studio revenues from online video has soared.
—This is a developing story and will be updated.
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
Create your free account or log in
for more features.
