The Writers Guild of America agreed and reached a deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Pictures and Television Producers on Sept. 24. The agreement arrived after more than four months of Hollywood writers and actors picketing for fair wages, among other demands.
The WGA emailed the strike captains Sunday night regarding the strike’s status on Sunday evening. The WGA negotiating committee released a statement through its website.
“We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language,” the statement read.
Despite reaching a critical moment such as a tentative agreement, the WGA made it very clear that no one is to return to work without permission from the Guild.
Entertainment industry writers have been on strike since May 2023, when the union’s board of directors voted to strike after six weeks of unsuccessful attempts at negotiating with major studios, including Netflix, Disney and Apple.
Negotiations for a fair agreement began in March 2023 and the strike began shortly after. The two sides of the strike met in August 2023 but reached a standstill. In September 2023, the negotiations resumed and concluded after that.
The achievement has gained approval from prominent figures including President Joe Biden who released a statement applauding the WGA and AMPTP for reaching a tentative deal.
“I applaud the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for reaching a tentative agreement that will allow writers to return to the important work of telling the stories of our nation, our world — and of all of us,” Biden said. “This agreement, including assurances related to artificial intelligence, did not come easily. But its formation is a testament to the power of collective bargaining. There simply is no substitute for employers and employees coming together to negotiate in good faith toward an agreement that makes a business stronger and secures the pay, benefits and dignity that workers deserve.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom also spoke on the recent developments of the strike, acknowledging the impact the entertainment industry has on California.
“California’s entertainment industry would not be what it is today without our world class writers,” Newsom said. “For over 100 days, 11,000 writers went on strike over existential threats to their careers and livelihoods — expressing real concerns over the stress and anxiety workers are feeling. I am grateful that the two sides have come together to reach an agreement that benefits all parties involved, and can put a major piece of California’s economy back to work.”
In June 2023, White Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre canceled a scheduled appearance on ‘The View,’ which had continuously aired throughout the strike without WGA writers.
Writers began their strike over their demands for more significance in their compensation for their content in the streaming service era. They also were seeking protections from artificial intelligence being used in their work, as they witnessed the industry moving away from theatrical releases in favor of streaming content.
Since the strike began, many television shows and films have been heavily impacted by the halt, including the final season of hit shows such as “Stranger Things” and the fourth installment of “Spider-Man” among many other paused productions.
Outside of scripted television, talk shows were also affected by the strike. “Real Time with Bill Maher,” “The Drew Barrymore Show” and “The Talk” delayed its return following backlash from supporters of the strike for attempting to return to air without WGA writers.
While a tentative agreement has been met, it is only a three-year agreement that needs to be ratified by the WGA for it to go into effect and it does not completely stop the strike as WGA leaders and members alike could reject the deal in the upcoming ratification vote.
