Striking Hollywood writers reach tentative deal with studios
2023.09.24 23:01
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The iconic Hollywood sign is shown in early morning light in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Hollywood writers reached a tentative labor agreement with major studios on Sunday, the Writers Guild of America said, a deal expected to end one of two strikes that have halted most film and television production and cost the California economy billions.
The three-year contract must be approved by members of the WGA, which represents 11,500 film and television scribes, before it can take effect.
In a brief statement, the WGA said the agreement 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.”
The WGA settlement, while a milestone, will not return Hollywood to work. The SAG-AFTRA actors’ union remains on strike.
Writers walked off the job on May 2 after negotiations reached an impasse over compensation, minimum staffing of writers’ rooms, the use of artificial intelligence and residuals that reward writers for popular streaming shows, among other issues.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the trade group representing Walt Disney (NYSE:), Netflix (NASDAQ:), Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ:) and other major studios, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
