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Film and television directors voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three-year labor contract

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with major Hollywood studios on Friday, averting a second work stoppage that would have worsened

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the upheaval caused by an ongoing writer's strike.

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In a statement, the Directors Guild of America said 87 percent of voting members were in

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favor of the deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, a group

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representing Walt Disney, Netflix and other major studios.

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In a new labor pact, members secured base wage increases starting at five percent the

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first year and an increase in residual payments from streaming.

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It also included a guarantee that generative artificial intelligence cannot replace the

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duties performed by members.

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AI has emerged as a major concern of writers and actors who see their jobs as especially

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vulnerable to the new technology.

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The DGA noted its 41 percent turnout rate, out of over 16,000 eligible voters, was its

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highest yet for a ratification vote.

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Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America is in its eighth week of strikes, shutting down

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several TV and film projects, such as a new season of Stranger Things and a Game of Thrones

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spinoff.

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They're currently fighting for a raise in wages, streaming residuals and restrictions

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on the use of artificial intelligence, but there have so far been no new contract talks

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scheduled between the WGA and studios.