The protracted Hollywood writers strike came to an end on Tuesday night, concluding almost five months of industrial action after union board members ratified a contract settlement with studios. This decision revitalized an industry that had been paralyzed by an unprecedented halt in production.
The eastern and western governing boards of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and their combined negotiation committee unanimously agreed to accept the deal. The settlement was established two days prior with a group comprising Hollywood’s most influential studios, streaming platforms, and production companies. Following the vote, it was declared that the writers’ strike was officially over and scriptwriters could recommence work at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
A swift return is set for late-night talk shows, which were the first to be impacted when the walkouts commenced on May 2. On the other hand, scripted programing will face a delay due to ongoing actors’ strikes and pending contract negotiations.
Though the writers’ strike has been lifted permitting them to work during the ratification process, the writers must endorse the contract in a vote set for early October. This communication was relayed to the guild members via email.
The contract details, hitherto undisclosed to the writers, were presented following Tuesday’s board votes. Guild leaders labeled the agreement as “exceptional.”
The accomplished three-year pact entails landmark victories in key areas the guild was advocating for. They successfully secured adjustments in compensation, employment duration, staff sizes, and control over artificial intelligence. All of which either reached or came close to their preliminary demands.
In their quest for justice for the creators of heavily streamed content, the guild negotiated innovative residual payments based on streaming show popularity. These bonus payments, at first rejected by the studios, will be awarded to writers contributing to the most popular shows on platforms like Netflix and Max.
Guild members also procured the rule they desired, requiring at least six writers on shows projected to run a minimum of 13 episodes. However, an unfulfilled demand was the guaranteed use of six writers on shows not yet ordered to series. This resulted in a compromise of a three-writer guarantee.
Additionally, the regulation and control of artificial intelligence were gained in the agreement. Under the newly established rules, raw AI-generated plots will not be regarded as “literary material.” This essentially protects writers from having to compete with computers for screen credits.
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