Hollywood Actors Ratify Deal Ending Strike, Future Labor Disputes Loom

Contract includes 7% pay increase and provisions for future streaming residuals, but control over artificial intelligence remains contentious.

Hollywood's actors have voted to ratify the deal with studios that ended their strike after nearly four months, bringing an official finish to the labor strife that shook the entertainment industry for most of 2023.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees contract expires on July 31, as does the Basic Crafts contract, which covers the Teamsters, indicating potential future labor disputes.
Control over the use of artificial intelligence was the most hard-fought issue in the long, methodical negotiations, and became the main driver of dissent during the voting.
The contract calls for a 7% general pay increase with further hikes coming in the second and third years of the deal.
The deal also includes a provision that temporarily derailed talks: the creation of a fund to pay performers for future viewings of their work on streaming services, in addition to traditional residuals paid for the showing of movies or series.