Hollywood Writers Approve New Deal, Ending One of the Industry’s Longest Strikes
LOS ANGELES – After a prolonged and intense negotiation, Hollywood writers have overwhelmingly voted to approve a new deal with studios, officially bringing an end to one of the longest-ever strikes in the industry. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced on social media that “99 percent of WGA members have voted in favor of ratifying” the contract, allowing them to return to work under improved terms.
The approval from the union’s approximately 11,500 members was widely expected. Last month, after 148 days on strike, WGA negotiators reached an agreement with major players like Netflix and Disney, securing better pay, increased protections from artificial intelligence, minimum staffing levels, and more. As a result, most writers have already returned to work in anticipation of the contract’s ratification.
However, the resumption of film and television productions in Hollywood has yet to gain momentum, as the much larger Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), representing 160,000 performers, remains on strike. Talks between the studios and SAG-AFTRA, which initiated their strike in July, began last week and were scheduled to resume yesterday.
SAG-AFTRA’s demands regarding pay and limitations on the future use of AI exceed those of the writers. Nevertheless, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represented the industry’s major studios in negotiations with the WGA, applauded the outcome of the writers’ vote. In a statement, it said, “The AMPTP member companies congratulate the WGA on the ratification of its new contract, which represents meaningful gains and protections for writers. It is important progress for our industry that writers are back to work.”
With the writers’ strike finally behind them, the focus now shifts to the ongoing negotiations between the studios and SAG-AFTRA. The outcome of these discussions will determine the resumption of full-scale production and the ultimate resolution of the current labor turmoil in Hollywood.
