The negotiating committee of the actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, told its members on Saturday that it had received a “Last, Best and Final Offer” from the major entertainment studios as a strike that has brought much of Hollywood to a standstill continued for a 114th day.
“We are reviewing it and considering our response within the context of the critical issues addressed in our proposals,” the negotiating committee said. They did not say when they would respond to the offer, which came after an hourlong video conference call that included top studio executives.
Included in the offer was a wage increase that could be the highest in four decades, according to a person familiar with the offer who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. The studios also offered the actors a new way to determine residuals for streaming programs based on performance metrics, and protections on artificial intelligence, including consent and compensation requirements. The studios also offered an increase to the pension and health funds.
The virtual meeting on Saturday featured the largest group of top entertainment executives yet to engage with the negotiating committee, underscoring the urgency with which the studios want to return to work in an effort to salvage the fall television season and ensure next summer’s theatrical box office will not be disrupted.
Four executives have spearheaded the talks: NBCUniversal’s Studio Group chairwoman and chief content officer, Donna Langley; the Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos; the Disney chief executive Robert A. Iger; and Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief executive, David Zaslav. They were joined by the Paramount Pictures chief executive Brian Robbins; the co-chairs of entertainment for Disney, Dana Walden and Alan Bergman; Mike Hopkins and Jennifer Salke from Amazon Studios; the Sony Pictures chairman Tony Vinciquerra; and Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg of Apple Studios.
The entertainment business has been at a standstill for months because of strikes by writers, who walked out in May, and actors, who joined them in July. The writers’ strike was resolved a little over a month ago, but the actors’ work stoppage has continued to grind on, leaving thousands out of work for close to six months.