Update:
- The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced Oct. 9 that 99% of its members voted to ratify a new three-year contract deal it agreed to with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, USA Today reports.
- The vote formally ends the Hollywood writers strike, which began in early May.
- The agreement will run from September 25, 2023, to May 1, 2026,
- The WGA board voted unanimously late last month to affirm the deal, which allowed writers to get back to work after the nearly five-month strike.
- The new contract will provide writers with higher pay, health and pension contributions, new foreign streaming residuals and streaming bonuses based on viewership, the WGA says.
Hollywood writers strike overview:
- Who: The Writers Guild of America reached an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new contract.
- Why: A new contract through May 1, 2026 was approved by the writers’ union to end a 148-day strike.
- Where: The negotiations and Writers Guild meeting happened in Hollywood.
(Sept. 29, 2023)
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to approve a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that will put Hollywood writers back to work after a 148-day strike.
The WGA estimated the value of the deal to be $233 million per year, below their estimated $429 million per year proposal but above the initial $86 million response proposal from AMPTP, which both came as the previous contract ran out on May 1.
The AMPTP negotiates union contracts on behalf of the large movie companies (Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros.), the main broadcast television networks (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) and streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV-Plus and Amazon.
The WGA met at the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night after the strike ended.
“The best takeaway from tonight: last week, the CEOs and the WGA didn’t meet in Sherman Oaks,” screenwriter John Gary wrote on social media. “They negotiated the deal in the WGA board room. The CEOs came to us.”
WGA reached terms on increased pay for streaming movies, TV staff writers, residuals and health care, term sheet shows
Much of the negotiations were regarding terms in an ever-changing marketplace where 96-minute feature films with a budget of $30 million or more for the streaming platforms will now be treated more like full theatrical releases.
The deal also included health care pay increases, increased percentages on residuals and increased pay for TV program staff writers.
“The @WGAWest meeting was so moving and powerful tonight,” TV writer/producer Kate Sargeant wrote of the union meeting detailing the terms of the new deal in Hollywood. “Standing room only. An over 5 min long standing ovation for the board and neg com. Powerful speeches that brought me to tears. I’m so proud of my union. What a moment to be a part of #wgastrong.”
Workers from more than 60 unionized Starbucks stores chose to go on strike over a dispute about a Pride decorations policy, leading the company to clarify its stance..
Are you happy that the Hollywood writers strike is over? Let us know in the comments.
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