List of Hollywood strikes

This list of Hollywood strikes names the industrial strikes organized by Hollywood trade unions such as SAG-AFTRA (formerly the Screen Actors Guild [SAG] and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists [AFTRA]), the Writers Guild of America (WGA), and the Directors Guild of America (DGA). Demands for better compensation, especially residuals, have been a major goal of the strikes.

List

Year	Strike	Duration
2024–25	2024–2025 SAG-AFTRA video game voice actor strike	348 days^[1]^[2] ^[a]
2023	2023 SAG-AFTRA strike	118 days^[6] (The longest general strike in guild's history)^[7]
2023	2023 Writers Guild of America strike	148 days^[8]^[9]
2016–17	2016–2017 SAG-AFTRA video game voice actor strike	340 days^[10]
2007-08	2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike	99 days^[11]^[12]^[13]
2000	2000 Commercial Actors strike	182 days^[14]
1988	1988 Commercial Actors Strike	25 days^[15]
1988	1988 Writers Guild of America strike	154 days (the longest strike in the guild's history)^[16]
1987	1987 Directors Strike	19 hours and 41 minutes (the shortest of all Hollywood strikes)^[17]
1986	1986 Actors Strike	1 day^[18]
1985	1985 Writers Strike	14 days
1982	1982 animators' strike	72 days
1981	1981 Writers Guild of America strike	92 days^[19]^[20]
1980	1980 actors strike	95 days
1978-79	1978-79 SAG and AFTRA Commercials Strike	50 days^[21]
1973	1973 WGA Screenwriters Strike^[22]	111 days^[16]
1972	1972 Composers and Lyricists Guild of America Strike	60 days
1967	1967 AFTRA Strike	12 days
1960	1960 Writers Guild of America strike	148 days^[16] (Film) 156 days^[16] (TV) ^[23]
1960	1960 Actors Strike	42 days^[24]^[25]
1952	1952 Actors Strike	79 days^[26]
1945	Set decorators Hollywood Black Friday strike	231 days
1942-1944	1942–1944 musicians' strike	834 days (the longest of all Hollywood strikes)
1941	Disney animators' strike	115 days^[27]
1936	1936 Hollywood workers strike backed by American Federation of Labor against the use of US Army and Navy involvement in motion picture production^[28]

Notes

^ Strike officially declared over on July 9, 2025.^[3] However, strike activity was suspended on June 11, 2025, two days after tentative deal was reached.^[4] In spite of this, the ability for video game voice actors to return to work at this point in time was only regarded as being under the guise of a "strike suspension,"^[4] with the strike still being regarded as officially over as a result of the later ratification of the new labor deal.^[5]

References

^ "SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike; A.I. Protections Remain the Sticking Point". SAG-AFTRA. July 26, 2024. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ Parvini, Sarah (July 26, 2024). "Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
^ KilKenny, Katie (July 9, 2025). "SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Officially Over as Members Ratify Agreement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
^ ^a ^b Campione, Katie (June 11, 2025). "SAG-AFTRA Suspends Video Game Strike After Securing Tentative Deal With Major Developers". Deadline. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
^ Richardson, Tom (July 10, 2025). "Video game actors' strike officially ends after AI deal". BBC News. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
^ Robb, David; Patten, Dominic (July 13, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Contract Talks Fail To Reach Deal; National Board Meeting Thursday Morning To Launch Strike; Sides Issue Statements". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
^ Jones, Tamera (November 9, 2023). "The Longest Strike in SAG-AFTRA History Ends With Historic Deal". Collider. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
^ Wilkinson, Alissa (May 2, 2023). "Hollywood's writers are on strike. Here's why that matters". Vox. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023. According to the WGA's proposals chart, the guild's proposals would gain the writers about $429 million in total per year. The AMPTP's counter-proposal is an increase of about $86 million per year.
^ "WGA on Strike". WGAContract2023.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
^ Dave McNary (September 25, 2017). "SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Ends After a Year". Variety. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
^ Horiuchi, Vince (November 4, 2007). "Writers strike to hit TV first - and hard". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
^ "Strike over, Hollywood writers head back to work". CNN.com. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on April 13, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^ Handel, Jonathan (2011). Hollywood on Strike!: An Industry at War in the Internet Age. Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Analytics. p. 580. ISBN 978-1-4382-3385-7. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
^ Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA History 2000s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1980s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d McNary, Dave (April 30, 2017). "Hollywood Wonders if Writers Guild Will Strike for Seventh Time". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
^ Aljean Harmetz (August 9, 1987). "That's Hollywood: The Strike That Never Was". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Staff Writers (August 3, 1986). "Around the Nation; Actors' Strike Averted After 14 Hours of Talks". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Vernon Scott (April 11, 1981). "Television and Motion Picture Writers went on Strike Today". upi.com. United Press International, Inc. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Aljean Harmetz (July 12, 1981). "Tentative Accord Reached in Strike of Screen Writers". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ "1970s". www.sagaftra.org. SAG-AFTRA. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
^ Farber, Stephen (June 30, 1973). "Rift Remains After Strike by Writers". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
^ "WGA Talks Will Continue Thursday After 'Encouraging' Session". Variety. September 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
^ Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1960s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Federman, Wayne (November 14, 2011). "What Reagan Did for Hollywood". The Atlantic. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
^ Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1950s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
^ Prescod, Paul (May 29, 2021). "80 Years Ago Today, Disney Animation Workers Went on Strike". Jacobin. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
^ "Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1936)". Internet Archive. [New York, N.Y. : Quigley Pub. Co.] Retrieved December 1, 2022.

Bibliography

Blanchard, Margaret A. (2013). History of the Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781135917425.
Littleton, Cynthia (2013). TV on Strike: Why Hollywood Went to War Over the Internet. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815610083.
Handel, Jonathan (2011). Hollywood on Strike!: An Industry at War in the Internet Age. Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Analytics. ISBN 9781438233857.

[6] Strike officially declared over on July 9, 2025.^[3] However, strike activity was suspended on June 11, 2025, two days after tentative deal was reached.^[4] In spite of this, the ability for video game voice actors to return to work at this point in time was only regarded as being under the guise of a "strike suspension,"^[4] with the strike still being regarded as officially over as a result of the later ratification of the new labor deal.^[5]

[2024videogamestrike-1] "SAG-AFTRA Members Who Work on Video Games Go on Strike; A.I. Protections Remain the Sticking Point". SAG-AFTRA. July 26, 2024. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.

[sagastrike-2] Parvini, Sarah (July 26, 2024). "Video game performers will go on strike over artificial intelligence concerns". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.

[3] KilKenny, Katie (July 9, 2025). "SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Officially Over as Members Ratify Agreement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 8, 2025.

[june112025report-4] Campione, Katie (June 11, 2025). "SAG-AFTRA Suspends Video Game Strike After Securing Tentative Deal With Major Developers". Deadline. Retrieved June 11, 2025.

[5] Richardson, Tom (July 10, 2025). "Video game actors' strike officially ends after AI deal". BBC News. Retrieved September 8, 2025.

[7] Robb, David; Patten, Dominic (July 13, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Contract Talks Fail To Reach Deal; National Board Meeting Thursday Morning To Launch Strike; Sides Issue Statements". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 13, 2023.

[8] Jones, Tamera (November 9, 2023). "The Longest Strike in SAG-AFTRA History Ends With Historic Deal". Collider. Retrieved September 8, 2025.

[Vox_2023-05-02-9] Wilkinson, Alissa (May 2, 2023). "Hollywood's writers are on strike. Here's why that matters". Vox. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023. According to the WGA's proposals chart, the guild's proposals would gain the writers about $429 million in total per year. The AMPTP's counter-proposal is an increase of about $86 million per year.

[wgacontract2023/on-strike-10] "WGA on Strike". WGAContract2023.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.

[11] Dave McNary (September 25, 2017). "SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Ends After a Year". Variety. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2025.

[slt-110407-12] Horiuchi, Vince (November 4, 2007). "Writers strike to hit TV first - and hard". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2010.

[13] "Strike over, Hollywood writers head back to work". CNN.com. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on April 13, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2008.

[14] Handel, Jonathan (2011). Hollywood on Strike!: An Industry at War in the Internet Age. Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Analytics. p. 580. ISBN 978-1-4382-3385-7. Archived from the original on July 12, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2011.

[15] Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA History 2000s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[16] Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1980s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[mcnary-17] McNary, Dave (April 30, 2017). "Hollywood Wonders if Writers Guild Will Strike for Seventh Time". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2019.

[18] Aljean Harmetz (August 9, 1987). "That's Hollywood: The Strike That Never Was". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[19] Staff Writers (August 3, 1986). "Around the Nation; Actors' Strike Averted After 14 Hours of Talks". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[20] Vernon Scott (April 11, 1981). "Television and Motion Picture Writers went on Strike Today". upi.com. United Press International, Inc. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[21] Aljean Harmetz (July 12, 1981). "Tentative Accord Reached in Strike of Screen Writers". New York Times. New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[22] "1970s". www.sagaftra.org. SAG-AFTRA. Retrieved October 6, 2023.

[23] Farber, Stephen (June 30, 1973). "Rift Remains After Strike by Writers". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2019.

[24] "WGA Talks Will Continue Thursday After 'Encouraging' Session". Variety. September 20, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.

[25] Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1960s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[26] Federman, Wayne (November 14, 2011). "What Reagan Did for Hollywood". The Atlantic. Retrieved May 4, 2023.

[27] Staff Writers (June 23, 2023). "Sag-Aftra History 1950s". www.sagaftra.org. Screen Actors Guild. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.

[prescod-28] Prescod, Paul (May 29, 2021). "80 Years Ago Today, Disney Animation Workers Went on Strike". Jacobin. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2021.

[29] "Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1936)". Internet Archive. [New York, N.Y. : Quigley Pub. Co.] Retrieved December 1, 2022.

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