by Abb Jones
The Reelness

The longest running actors strike in Hollywood history is now over.

SAG-AFTRA’s national board on Friday approved the tentative agreement approved earlier this week, effectively ending the 118-day strike. Full ratification by the organization’s 160,000 members will take place next week.

The deal will see the first-ever protections for actors against artificial intelligence (AI) as well as a historic pay raise – most minimums will increase by 7% – two percent above the increases negotiated by the Writers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America, with additional annual increases effective in 2024 and 2025. The deal with movie studios and streaming services will also include a sizable streaming participation bonus for shows seen by at least 20% of a streamer’s subscription base, as well as increases in pension and health contributions. The union says the contract is worth more than $1 billion.

Studios had feared that the 2023-24 TV season and 2024’s summer movie season would be devastated had a deal not been forged soon.

Prior to this latest strike, the longest actors strike against the TV and film companies lasted 95 days in 1980.