Hollywood Braces for New Round of Labor Talks

It has been 26 months since the writers’ and actors’ strikes ended, and the contracts that brought those walkouts to a close are nearing expiration — May 1 for writers and June 30 for actors. Negotiations with the studios begin on Monday, with numerous bargaining sessions expected in the weeks ahead.

Hollywood looks different than it did in 2023: production has slowed across the industry, many companies are still adjusting to streaming, work has dried up for some performers and writers, and generative artificial intelligence has become more central. "We’re doing everything under our power to keep our members working," Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the actors’ union chief negotiator, said.

The studios’ bargaining organization said it was "optimistic that, together, we can reach a fair deal" that supports performers and promotes stability. Writers begin talks in March and the directors’ union will enter negotiations later in the spring. Compensation and working conditions were major issues last time, and AI will be raised again; Mr.

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