Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor, marking the last major Hollywood labor deal for 2026
The Directors Guild of America on Thursday ratified a four-year deal with studios and streamers, bringing a close to a quiet year for bargaining between Hollywood’s labor groups and top companies.
The union did not disclose what portion of its membership voted for and against the deal, but said members voted “overwhelmingly” in favor in its announcement of the ratification.
“This incredible show of support from our membership for this new contract shows the strength of our unity and our solidarity,” union president Christopher Nolan and national executive director Russell Hollander said in a message to members. “We have achieved critical wins that put the Guild in a position to further protect our members economic and creative rights now and into the future.”
Key provisions of the deal
The DGA, the last of Hollywood’s major unions to negotiate its deals in 2026, bargains on behalf of around 19,500 directors, assistant directors, associate directors, unit production managers and stage managers.
The deal notably contains the largest-ever employer contribution increase to the union’s health plan in its history. Employer contributions to the union’s plan will increase nearly 25 percent over the course of the agreement’s term and caps on employer contributions will be raised across several categories, though the union and employers did agree that the plan’s trustees will need to make changes to its benefits to keep the plan sustainable in the long term.
Addressing job decline and AI
To address a decline in jobs for DGA members, the contract committed studios and streamers will send some of their key executives to Washington, D.C. to lobby for a federal film tax incentive. The deal contained restrictions on “affiliated hires” on television shows, or when a non-director on a project takes on an additional helming job (like when a lead actor directs an episode).
On generative AI, the union secured a promise that footage generated by AI falls under the director’s creative purview as well as transparency and licensing language.
Four-year term
For studios, the top goal was getting the DGA to agree to an atypically long deal term — four years as opposed to the typical three, just like SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America did in their drama-free negotiations before the directors.
Industry reaction
In a statement, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers lauded the DGA as well as SAG-AFTRA and the WGA for their “thoughtful and collaborative approach” to negotiations. The organization added, “Together, we achieved agreements that deliver substantial gains for guild members while supporting greater stability across the entertainment business.” The organization continued that its member companies were encouraged by “the trust built throughout this cycle.”
Looking ahead
The DGA’s contract was the result of “more than 18 months of preparation, research and negotiations,” Nolan and Hollander said, with bargaining beginning in mid-May and lasting until a tentative deal was reached on June 9. Hollander led negotiations for the DGA, while AMPTP president Gregory Hessinger steered talks for the studios.
But more work is on the horizon, the guild leaders told their members on Thursday. “While this agreement is critical, the challenges facing our industry remain significant. For 90 years the Guild has fought — through legislative advocacy, contract enforcement, education, and in many other ways — to ensure the craft of directing is protected, and that career opportunities are available to our members,” they said. “The successful ratification of this agreement continues that long tradition and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding this profession for generations to come.”
