One of the two ongoing Hollywood strikes that have been keeping the TV and movie industries at a standstill has officially ended. The Writers Guild of America members have voted to approve of the new deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
In an email distributed by the WGA leadership, 99 percent of voters voted in favor of the new deal. A total of 8,435 members voted in the affirmative while only 90 voted against the new agreement with the AMPTP. The strike officially lasted for 148 days, severely affecting the timeline for movies, TV shows, and other projects in Hollywood.
“Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership,” WGA West president Meredith Stiehm said in the message to members. “Together we were able to accomplish what many said was impossible only six months ago.”
“We would not have been able to achieve this industry-changing contract without WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman, Negotiating Committee co-chairs Chris Keyser and David A. Goodman, the entire WGA Negotiating Committee, strike captains, lot coordinators, and the staff that supported every part of the negotiation and strike.”
99% of WGA members have voted in favor of ratifying the 2023 MBA. 🧵
— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) October 9, 2023
WGA East’s Lisa Takeuchi adds, “Now it’s time for the AMPTP to put the rest of the town back to work by negotiating a fair contract with our SAG-AFTRA siblings, who have supported writers throughout our negotiations. Until the studios make a deal that addresses the needs of performers, WGA members will be on the picket lines, walking side-by-side with SAG-AFTRA in solidarity.”
Writers returned to work last week with talk shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and HBO’s The Last Week Tonight returning to their regular program schedule.
The hosts of the talk shows gave emotional monologues as they returned after five months of inactivity. Colbert, Fallon, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers formed a limited podcast titled Strike Force 5 during the interim with proceeds going to staff members affected by the work stoppage.
Attention now turns to the SAG-AFTRA’s ongoing strike against the AMPTP. The actors’ union work stoppage is now on its 87th day. The two sides went for months without negotiations but are reportedly meeting frequently to strike a deal.
“To our fellow SAG-AFTRA Members: We have concluded today’s bargaining with the AMPTP and will resume talks on Friday, October 6,” SAG-AFTRA said to its members. “The parties will be working internally over the weekend, resuming Monday, October 9. Please continue to come out to picket lines or other strike activities in your local. One day longer. One day stronger. As long as it takes.”
The SAG-AFTRA also recently approved a strike for actors in video games. There is still no word if the work stoppage will be implemented.
