Writers, Hollywood studios reach tentative deal to end months-long strike

The Writers Guild of America says they have reached a tentative agreement with the major studios on a three-year contract

By Emma Keates, Drew Gillis | September 25, 2023 | 2:36am

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Writers, Hollywood studios reach tentative deal to end months-long strike

WGA picket signs Photo: Mario Tama

After 146 days, the Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative agreement to end their work stoppage against the major Hollywood studios. WGA leadership emailed strike captains Sunday night informing them of the news, saying the agreement was “subject to drafting final contract language.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, the provisional three-year agreement still needs to be ratified by WGA members to take effect. Specifics of the deal have not been publicly shared yet.

Representatives from both the WGA and AMPTP sat down for a series of talks over the past week that seemed to signal a potential end to the nearly five-month stalemate. The meetings were also attended by studio heads Bob Iger (Disney), David Zaslav (Warner Bros. Discovery), Donna Langley (Universal), and Ted Sarandos (Netflix).

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“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the guild said in the email to membership (via the Los Angeles Times). “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.”

According to Puck News’ Matthew Belloni, the WGA governing boards first have to endorse the deal—which will happen on Tuesday, given Monday’s Yom Kippur holiday. It will then take two to three weeks for voting materials to be distributed to the membership, at which point they will vote to approve it.

Months of uncertainty

The WGA officially put their pencils down on May 2. This walkout marked the guild’s first large-scale work stoppage since the strike of 2007-2008, and now looks to clock in as its second longest, following a 154-day picket in 1988.

The strike has, in large part, surrounded writers’ concerns with protection from AI and declining residuals in the streaming era. As studios posted record profits, the artists behind those big bags of money experienced less job security and less cash flow. Since the last strike some 15 years ago, streaming has rapidly transformed the industry, while writers largely did not see a change to their contracts.

In a report by The A.V. Club, The Bear writer Alex O’Keefe detailed his experience working on a massively successful series, but still not having financial security. “I have friends who believe, ‘Oh, Alex worked on The Bear, Alex is rich now. Alex can buy a car.’ And you know, I’m not. I’m broke,” he said. “[When] I won the WGA Award for The Bear for Outstanding Comedy Series, I had a negative bank account. My suit was bought by my family and friends, and my bowtie was bought on credit. All that glitters is not gold.”

Writers have also sought changes to the extremely unpopular “mini room” model, which shrinks traditional writers’ rooms and employs fewer staffers for less time.

Still, Hollywood production is not just going to bounce back now that the WGA strike is over. SAG-AFTRA is still picketing. But the end of the writers strike could signal a willingness on the part of the studios to finally bring a painful moment in Hollywood to an end.

This story has been updated with a statement from the Writers Guild of America.