Hell yeah! In a momentous turn of events, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have successfully hammered out a groundbreaking tentative three-year contract, bringing Hollywood close to the end of the most protracted strikes in entertainment history.
After months of intense on-and-off negotiations, the two sides have found common ground, marking a significant victory for both labor and management.
The strike, which had gripped Hollywood since May 2, 2023, should finally come to an end. These negotiations have grappled with a multitude of complex issues, including the use of generative artificial intelligence and other critical elements within the WGA’s minimum basic agreement.
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Late Sunday night, the WGA sent an email to its members:
“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.
What we have won in this contract—most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd—is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.
We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.
What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language. And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last “i” is dotted. To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again—one last time.
Once the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP is complete, the Negotiating Committee will vote on whether to recommend the agreement and send it on to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council for approval. The Board and Council will then vote on whether to authorize a contract ratification vote by the membership.
If that authorization is approved, the Board and Council would also vote on whether to lift the restraining order and end the strike at a certain date and time (to be determined) pending ratification. This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.
Immediately after those leadership votes, which are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday if the language is settled, we will provide a comprehensive summary of the deal points and the Memorandum of Agreement. We will also convene meetings where members will have the opportunity to learn more about and assess the deal before voting on ratification.
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.
Finally, we appreciated your patience as you waited for news from us—and had to fend off rumors— during the last few days of the negotiation. Please wait for further information from the Guild. We will have more to share with you in the coming days, as we finalize the contract language and go through our unions’ processes.
As always, thank you for your support. You will hear from us again very soon.
IN SOLIDARITY,
WGA NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE“
Details of the tentative deal have not been released yet.
The breakthrough in negotiations was largely attributed to the presence over the last three days of four top executives from prominent entertainment companies. Disney’s Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley played instrumental roles during three days of intensive negotiations. Their involvement was pivotal in breaking the impasse that had persisted for months between the WGA and the AMPTP.
An unofficial deadline was set as the Yom Kippur holiday approached on Sunday evening, further motivating the parties to reach an agreement, especially as substantial progress had already been made earlier in the week.
REELated:
While details from the AMPTP and WGA are pending, the news of this tentative and possibly historic agreement has brought a sense of relief and optimism to Hollywood.
As the dust settles from this monumental breakthrough, attention will now shift to addressing the strike by SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), which began on July 14, 2023. This strike, the first industry-wide action by performers in over four decades, will undoubtedly draw inspiration from the successful negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP, as the entertainment industry continues to evolve and adapt to new challenges.
For Reel 360 News’ full strike coverage, click here.
More to come. Stay tuned.
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