SAG-AFTRA & Studios End First Week Of Contract Talks In Silence. That’s Probably A Good Thing.
•February 14, 2026
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Why It Matters
The outcome will shape compensation, benefits, and AI safeguards for Hollywood talent, influencing industry labor dynamics and production costs. A delayed or contentious agreement could trigger a strike, disrupting the entertainment supply chain.
Key Takeaways
- •First week of talks ended under agreed media blackout
- •Health and pension deficits drive union priorities
- •AI protections and streaming residuals on negotiation agenda
- •Contract expires June 30; strike not ruled out
- •Other guilds' talks follow, increasing industry pressure
Pulse Analysis
The silence surrounding the opening week of SAG‑AFTRA’s negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is intentional, designed to keep strategic positioning off the public radar. By imposing a media blackout, both parties can test each other’s proposals without external pressure, a tactic that often smooths the path to more substantive dialogue. This approach mirrors previous Hollywood labor talks, where early confidentiality helped prevent premature escalation and allowed negotiators to focus on core issues rather than media spin.
At the heart of the bargaining table are the union’s long‑standing concerns over health and pension funding, which have been running deficits amid declining employment and rising living costs. SAG‑AFTRA also seeks to expand the AI safeguards introduced in its 2023 contract and to secure higher streaming residuals as digital distribution reshapes revenue streams. These demands reflect broader industry trends, where technology and changing consumption patterns are forcing unions to renegotiate the value of creative labor in an increasingly automated environment.
With the current contract set to expire on June 30, the stakes are high. While SAG‑AFTRA leadership has not ruled out a strike, they emphasize a willingness to reach a fair deal, underscoring the union’s leverage as other guilds—WGA and DGA—prepare to begin their own negotiations. The outcome will reverberate across production schedules, financing models, and talent compensation structures, making this early, quiet week a pivotal moment for the entertainment ecosystem.
SAG-AFTRA & Studios End First Week Of Contract Talks In Silence. That’s Probably A Good Thing.
SAG‑AFTRA & Studios End First Week Of Contract Talks In Silence. That’s Probably A Good Thing.
By Katie Campione – TV Reporter
February 13, 2026 4:12 pm
The SAG‑AFTRA building in Los Angeles – Michael Bucker/Penske Media
SAG‑AFTRA has concluded its first week of contract talks with the major Hollywood studios, but both parties are keeping quiet about their progress at the bargaining table.
Deadline understands that the actors union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) finished Friday’s session by early afternoon and will return to the table next week. Both the AMPTP and SAG‑AFTRA declined to comment, as expected given the media blackout the two parties agreed to at the start of negotiations.
A media blackout doesn’t guarantee that details won’t emerge, but silence in the first week likely signals a positive start as both parties presented their initial proposals. This is pretty expected, given that Deadline also hears the two groups have been communicating informally for several months to signal priorities and prime the pump ahead of time.
Since sitting down together on February 9, the guild and the now Greg Hessinger‑led AMPTP spent the first day on so‑called opening statements. The rest of the week saw everyone flexing a bit as expected at the beginning of such talks and refining their proposals based on what the other side of the table put forth. Next week will be when the serious bargaining begins.
As we previously reported, health and pension plans are the biggest priority for all three guilds in this bargaining cycle. The DGA, WGA and SAG‑AFTRA plans have all operated in deficits the last few years to cover rising healthcare and essential living costs amid a dramatic decrease in employment. In return, the AMPTP may be seeking to get the unions to agree to longer contracts, as Deadline exclusively reported last month.
However, newly elected SAG‑AFTRA president Sean Astin told Deadline last month that he was hesitant to elevate any specific problem above the rest.
It’s a tough and turbulent time in the industry, which is rapidly evolving. We expect both AI and residuals to be part of the conversation again as well, as SAG‑AFTRA will be hoping to build upon the foundational artificial‑intelligence protections it secured in the 2023 contract and increase its streaming residual payouts.
SAG‑AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree‑Ireland said last month that he was “certainly not going to rule out a strike” this go‑round, though he believes “there should need to be a strike because these companies should come to the table in good faith, as we are.”
“I want to be crystal clear: We are not going to accept a deal that is not fair to our members,” he said onstage at CES.
SAG‑AFTRA’s current contract expires June 30. The Writers Guild of America East and West are expected to begin negotiating on March 6, followed by the Directors Guild in May, so the actors union has about a month to make a deal. Otherwise, they’ll circle back to the table after the WGA and DGA.
Speaking of the other unions, the WGA has been quiet so far on its sister union’s negotiations, but the DGA weighed in on Monday to wish SAG‑AFTRA well.
“The Directors Guild of America stands in solidarity with SAG‑AFTRA as they begin negotiations with the AMPTP,” the guild said in a statement via a spokesperson. “Directors, directorial teams, performers, and all creative workers share a common goal to secure fair compensation, world‑class retirement and health benefits, meaningful workplace protections, sustainable careers, and a future in which all our contributions are respected and valued. We are committed to standing with SAG‑AFTRA in their fight for a fair contract that recognizes its members’ incredible contributions to the entertainment industry.”
Dominic Patten contributed to this report.
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