A summer actors strike in Hollywood appears to have been avoided after studio bosses and officials at the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) signed a primetime deal in Los Angeles.
The new deal has prompted Screen Actors Guild bosses and other major acting unions to resume talks with the studios.
AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers reached a tentative three-year agreement early on Wednesday after nine days of heated talks about acting conditions and contracts.
The new deal covers royalties for TV programs that are downloaded and streamed online, and will go into effect later this summer.
Thrilled AFTRA president Roberta Reardon tells Daily Variety, “This is another groundbreaking agreement for AFTRA.
“In addition to achieving meaningful gains in compensation and working conditions for performers, it also establishes AFTRA jurisdiction in the dynamic area of new media and it preserves performers’ consent for use of excerpts of traditional TV shows in new media.
“This is a challenging time in the entertainment industry and this was a tough negotiation. Our ability to achieve these crucial breakthroughs for performers was a direct result of AFTRA members’ pragmatic approach to collective bargaining.”
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