Hollywood writers strike: WGA reaches ‘tentative’ deal to end 146-day strike
Hollywood writers are poised to end their nearly five-month strike after reaching a tentative agreement with studios, the writers’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said Sunday night, though the full details of agreement still have to be formally approved.
The deal came after five marathon days of renewed talks by negotiators for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and an alliance of studios, streaming services and production companies, and must be approved by the guild’s board and members before the strike officially ends.
The terms of the deal were not immediately announced, but the WGA called the deal “exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” in an email to members of its negotiating committee, Variety reported.
The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement. This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who stood with us for over 146 days. More details coming after contract language is finalized. #WGAStrike pic.twitter.com/GBg2wZBwGB
— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) September 25, 2023
The agreement comes just five days before the strike would’ve broken the record of the union’s 1988 strike to become the longest in the guild’s history, and the longest Hollywood strike in decades. Union leaders are expected to vote on the full terms of the new three-year contract on Tuesday, Variety reported.
Late-night television shows are expected to resume production, and could even return to the air within days, but Hollywood actors, who joined the industry’s historic “double strike” in July, remain on strike, meaning that many new film and television projects are expected to stay on hold.
The writers’ strike was driven by Hollywood workers’ frustrations with their share of the profits in an online-streaming era, and spotlighted artists’ concerns about the threats artificial intelligence might pose to their industry. While Bob Iger, the Disney CEO, called the writers’ and actors’ demands “just not realistic” in July, the strike ultimately highlighted the solidarity among unions within Hollywood - and the broad public support for workers’ demands, as the Tinseltown labor disputes kicked off a “hot labor summer” of strikes across multiple industries.
During a hot summer, striking actors and writers have marched together outside studios across Los Angeles, from Amazon to Warner Bros to Disney. To improve morale, some of the picketers have come dressed in themed costumes of the day, like on “Bridgerton Day” outside Netflix’s studios.
A-list Hollywood actors made their support for the strikes clear even before the actors’ union had authorized a strike. Some wealthy directors and producers announced six-figure donations to strike funds to support former cast and crew members, while other stars auctioned off Zoom meetings and one-on-one experiences to raise money for a crew healthcare fund.
The few celebrities who attempted to flout strike rules – including Drew Barrymore, who announced she would resume her popular talkshow while her writers were still on strike – faced broad public condemnation, and quickly reversed course.
The Associated Press contributed reporting