A tentative deal has been reached between the striking Writers Guild of America (WGA) and studio representatives, as reported. The proposed three-year contract is still subject to ratification by the 11,500 WGA members. According to the Los Angeles Times, the deal would increase pay rates and residual payments for streaming shows and introduce new regulations regarding the use of artificial intelligence.
County Supervisor Janice Hahn stated, “I am hopeful that this tentative deal meets the needs of the WGA members who have sacrificed so much during this difficult but worthy and necessary strike. With this deal, these past 140 days could protect writers’ livelihoods for decades to come.”
Mayor Karen Bass also expressed her gratitude, saying, “After a nearly five-month long strike, I am grateful that the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached a fair agreement and I’m hopeful that the same can happen soon with the Screen Actors Guild. This historic strike impacted so many across Los Angeles and across the nation. Now, we must focus on getting the entertainment industry, and all the small businesses that depend on it, back on their feet and stronger than ever before.”
The WGA Negotiating Committee released a statement, stating, “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 continued, “What we have won in this contract — most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2 — 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.”
The statement further added, “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.”
The negotiating process will involve further steps, including voting on the agreement by the WGAW Board and WGAE Council, and a contract ratification vote by the membership. The statement clarified that the strike would only end after these processes are completed.
Once the leadership votes and the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP is completed, a comprehensive summary of the deal points and the agreement will be provided. Meetings will be held to allow members to learn more about the deal before voting on its ratification.
The statement emphasized, “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 Sunday, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.”
In conclusion, the statement acknowledged the members’ patience and stated that more information would be shared in the coming days as the contract language is finalized and the unions complete their processes. Writers went on strike on May 2, joined by the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union in July. While negotiations with the studios have stalled, both unions are advocating for protections against the use of artificial intelligence and improvements in salary, including better residuals for successful streaming programs.
Earlier this month, the WGA negotiating team suggested that certain Hollywood studios should break away from the AMPTP and negotiate directly with the writers’ union. The WGA stated that it had engaged in discussions with studio executives who believed a quick deal could be reached. They expressed their readiness to negotiate with one or more major studios outside the AMPTP.
Meanwhile, the AMPTP released a statement affirming its commitment to negotiating within the alliance. They stated, “The AMPTP member companies are aligned and negotiating together to reach a resolution. Any suggestion to the contrary is false. Every member company of the AMPTP wants a fair deal for writers and actors and an end to the strikes, which are affecting not only our writer and actor colleagues but also thousands of others across the industry.”
The dispute over who should represent the studios seemingly opened the door for the current negotiations.
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