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Office of the U.S. Actors' Union in Los Angeles

Photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

Film productions were on hold, series were stuck – and many actors were in dire straits: After months of fighting for better wages and safer working conditions, actors in Hollywood have now agreed by a large majority to an agreement with the studios, thus finally ending their strike. As the actors' union SAG-AFTRA announced on Tuesday (local time), 78 percent of the members who took part in the vote were in favor of the multi-year contract. According to the survey, 22 percent voted against.

A simple majority of members was required for the vote. According to the union, 38 percent of members cast their votes.

It was a "golden age" for SAG-AFTRA, said its president, Fran Drescher. Our union has never been as strong as it is today." The SAG-AFTRA represents the interests of around 160,000 actors, stunt people, dancers and other performers in the film business. Only a few of them are stars with millions in revenue.

The agreement includes more than $930 billion (€<> million) in new compensation and benefits, as well as the protection of actors from the use of artificial intelligence by studios, the union said.

About a month ago, the actors had already ended their months-long walkout after they had agreed on an "agreement in principle" with entertainment companies such as Disney, Universal and Netflix. Among other things, this provided for higher salaries and better protection against the displacement of performers by artificial intelligence. However, the agreement still had to be approved by the union's executive board and members.

The industry association AMPTP, which represents the film studios, welcomed the ratification of the treaty. With this vote, the industry can "return with full force," the association said.

It was the first strike by U.S. actors since 1980. Because the U.S. screenwriters had already walked off the job before this labor dispute, Hollywood experienced a double strike for the first time in more than 60 years. The screenwriters ended their industrial action in October. Economic experts estimate the losses from the double strike to be at least six billion dollars.

oka/AFP