SAG-AFTRA, studios reach tentative 4-year deal after 2023 strike

SAG-AFTRA and the major Hollywood studios reached a tentative four-year contract agreement Saturday, the first deal since a historic 2023 strike halted nearly all film and television production across Southern California, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The tentative deal covers movies, scripted television, streaming and new media — sectors that affect union members and entertainment industry workers throughout Southern California, including the many SAG-AFTRA members who reside in Orange County.

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers concluded the tentative agreement after negotiations that began in early February 2026, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. The contract has not yet taken effect: SAG-AFTRA's National Board is expected to convene within days to review and vote on the terms before any deal becomes final.

The four-year contract spans a wide range of content formats, encompassing theatrical films, scripted television series, streaming productions and new media projects, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The breadth of coverage reflects the industry's expanded footprint across digital platforms since the previous contract cycle.

The agreement follows the 2023 strike, which SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America launched jointly in one of the most significant Hollywood work stoppages in decades, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Both unions demanded stronger protections against the use of artificial intelligence and better compensation for members — demands that shaped the contours of both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA negotiations.

The WGA resolved its dispute last month, when members ratified a separate four-year contract, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Saturday's tentative SAG-AFTRA agreement, if approved by the National Board, would effectively close out the labor unrest that defined the industry for much of the past three years.

For SAG-AFTRA members and entertainment industry workers who live in Orange County, the tentative deal carries direct implications. The contract governs pay, working conditions and AI protections for union members on all covered productions — terms that apply regardless of where a member resides. OC-based union members would be subject to the same contract as their counterparts elsewhere in the Southern California region.

SAG-AFTRA's National Board is expected to meet in the coming days to review the tentative contract, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. A formal ratification vote by the full membership would follow a board approval, setting the stage for the industry's return to stable labor footing.