Hollywood writers reach tentative deal with studios and streamers to end strike

Ray Richmond
·4 min read

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a tentative agreement Sunday night with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on a new three-year contract to end the 146-day strike of Hollywood writers that had contributed heavily to a shutdown of most film and television production over the past nearly five months. It capped five straight days of intense negotiations, with language on the use of Artificial Intelligence reportedly one of the final items hammered out.

In the days to come, the more than 11,000 Guild members will vote on whether or not to accept the deal, which is said to include most of what writers had demanded from studios since going out on strike May 2. That includes increases in residual payments for streaming content on such services as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ and guarantees that AI wouldn’t radically impact writer credit and compensation. Specific details won’t be released until the final language is completed over the coming days.

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SEEWriter-producer Rick Cleveland explains what’s behind the WGA strike for many trying to make a living in the business

The deal came together with relative swiftness once talks resumed in earnest last Wednesday, ending a hiatus of nearly a month during which both sides claimed the other was refusing to negotiate. Things moved quickly after several industry leaders – including Disney chief executive Bob Iger, NBCUniversal studio group chair Donna Langley, Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslov – became much more directly involved.

In a statement sent via email to WGA members early Sunday evening just after the start of Yom Kippur – the Jewish day of atonement – the WGA Negotiating Committee said, “We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.”

However, the end of the WGA walkout does not automatically mean Hollywood would immediately beat a path back to work. The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists remain on the picket lines representing tens of thousands of Hollywood actors, and their strike is unaffected by the writers settlement. However, it’s expected that there may be greater resolve to settle with SAG-AFTRA now that it appears writers will soon be back on the job.

The WGA strike, in tandem with the SAG-AFTRA walking, had forced a postponement of the Primetime Emmy Awards from September 18 to January 15 of next year. It’s anticipated that the January date for the Emmys will remain firm.

“To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild,” read the message to members. “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.”

Here is the full text of the email to WGA members tonight:

DEAR 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.

WGA NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

David A. Goodman, Co-Chair
Chris Keyser, Co-Chair
Ellen Stutzman, Chief Negotiator

John August
Angelina Burnett
Kay Cannon
Yahlin Chang
Robb Chavis
Adam Conover
Travis Donnelly
Ashley Gable
Hallie Haglund
Eric Haywood
Eric Heisserer
Greg Iwinski
Luvh Rakhe
Erica Saleh
Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

James Schamus
Tom Schulman
Mike Schur
David Shore
David Simon
Patric M. Verrone
Nicole Yorkin

Ex-Officio
Meredith Stiehm, WGAW President
Michele Mulroney, WGAW Vice President
Betsy Thomas, WGAW Secretary-Treasurer
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, WGAE President
Erica Saleh, WGAE Vice President of Film/TV/Streaming
Christopher Kyle, WGAE Secretary-Treasurer

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