WRITERS STRIKE: Writers’ Union Reaches Tentative Deal With Hollywood Studios To End Historic Strike

LOS ANGELES — After nearly five months, screenwriters’ union leaders and Hollywood studios have reached a provisional agreement to end a historic strike, raising hopes that a crippling shutdown of film and television production will soon end.

The actors are still on strike, but if the writers’ demands are met, the actors may shortly resolve.

In a joint statement, the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers jointly announced the agreement on Sunday. The Alliance represents studios, streaming services, and production companies in negotiations. Before the strike officially ends, the guild’s council and members must approve the agreement, which could occur this week.

“WGA has reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP,” the guild emailed its members. “This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who joined us on the picket lines for over 146 days.”

In a lengthy message from the guild shared on social media by its members, the writers were informed that the strike is still ongoing and that no one should return to work until further notice, but that picketing is to cease immediately.

The actors are still on strike, but if the writers’ demands are met, the actors may shortly resolve.

The provisions of the three-year contract agreement, reached after five days of marathon negotiations between WGA and AMPTP negotiators and studio executives, were kept secret. The 2008 tentative agreement to terminate the writers’ strike was approved by more than 90 percent of members.

The news provided a modest stimulus to the media and entertainment industries. On Monday, shares of Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, Disney, and Netflix increased by 2% or less.

The agreement was reached just five days before the strike became the longest in guild history and the longest Hollywood strike in over seven decades.

Due to the agreement, nightly network programs such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” could return to the air within days.

Talks between studios and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have yet to resume, so it is not as business as usual in Hollywood, even though writers are preparing to potentially open their workstations again. Crew members without work due to the stoppage will remain destitute for now.

The actors are still on strike, but if the writers’ demands are met, the actors may shortly resolve.

“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines,” the actors’ union stated. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.”

According to the statement, the guild continues to “urge studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and negotiate a fair deal for our members.”

The proposed solution to the writer’s strike resulted from the resumption of negotiations on Wednesday, the first time in a month that dialogue had resumed. Directly participating in the negotiations were reportedly Bob Iger of Disney, Ted Sarandos of Netflix, David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery, and Donna Langley of NBCUniversal.

It was reached without the assistance of federal mediators or other government officials, as had been required in previous strikes.

The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, congratulated the two parties on the agreement and expressed her optimism that the same will soon occur with actors.

SOURCE – (AP)