After a whopping 146 days on strike, members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Sunday. “We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the Writers Guild’s negotiating committee said in an email to members, and Hollywood writers have been quick to praise the new development (and caution patience until a final agreement is announced) on social media:
“To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.”
Not done yet!
— Caroline Renard (@carolinerenard_) September 25, 2023
#wgastrong is not just a hashtag.
Your unwavering solidarity made us strong as shit! Thank you to every member, every Pre-WGA member & Drew Carey. #tears ❤️✊🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/gIFgBnxv3u
— Kay Cannon (@KayKayCannon) September 25, 2023
Just a heads up, please know that even after the end of the strike, if you are a writer still experiencing financial problems because of it, you can still access the WGA strike fund.
— Justin Halpern (@justin_halpern) September 25, 2023
While this is undoubtedly good news for workers’ rights, the deal isn’t quite done yet. Below, find a guide to everything that still needs to happen between the WGA and AMPTP, as well as a look at the future of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
What did the WGA win in their new contract?
The terms of the agreement are not publicly known yet, but some of the most contentious and urgent issues brought up by the WGA included compensation for streaming use, writers’ room size, and studio use of AI technology that threatens to put writers out of work.
What happens next?
WGA members still have to vote on whether to accept the deal. That is likely to happen in the coming days. In February of 2008, the last time WGA writers engaged in a strike en masse, 92.5 per cent of WGA members voted to end the strike after a deal was made.
Has the AMPTP discussed the deal?
Only to say that “the WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement”, which (so far) remains the organisation’s only comment.
What’s going on with the SAG-AFTRA strike?
Now that the WGA strike seems to have reached an end, the industry’s attention is turning toward the nearly 160,000 members of the actors’ union who are still on strike and dealing with many of the same issues that have plagued Hollywood writers (including insufficient studio compensation and the threat of AI). The WGA has suspended picketing as of Monday but is still encouraging members to join actors on the SAG-AFTRA picket lines starting Tuesday.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
