The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has shared a statement regarding the Writers Guild of America (WGA)’s tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
On September 24, the WGA and AMPTP came to a tentative deal to end the writers strike, which began on May 2, 2023. While details are still forthcoming, issues regarding artificial intelligence and better pay were said to be at the forefront of the negotiations. The WGA still needs to ratify the offer before the three-year agreement goes into effect.
SAG-AFTRA has been on strike since July 14, 2023, for similar reasons as the WGA. The actors strike is still ongoing, meaning film productions won’t immediately resume now that the WGA strike is ending; however, SAG-AFTRA has now released a statement regarding the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative deal.
SAG-AFTRA congratulates WGA on tentative AMPTP agreement
“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines,” the statement reads. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members. Since the day the WGA strike began, SAG-AFTRA members have stood alongside the writers on the picket lines. We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”
SAG-AFTRA remains ready to strike a fair deal with the AMPTP to end the actors strike when the organization is ready to resume negotiations. “We have been ready, willing and able to continue bargaining with them and we very much want the AMPTP to come back to the table,” Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator said last month, per Deadline.
