WGA Reaches Tentative Agreement With Studios & Streamers To End Strike

The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a deal to end its nearly five-month long strike. Deadline reports that the WGA and the AMPTP finalized the outline of the deal on Sunday after several days of negotiation, setting the stage to end the writers’ strike that has been ongoing for 146 days.

The strike is just a little behind the longest writer’s strike in industry history, which went 154 days back in 1988. The strike is not officially over yet, as the final contract language needs to be drafted and the WGA West and WGA East must then ratify the deal. The WGA went on strike starting on May 2nd after they were unable to come to terms with the studios and streamers on a deal. Among the WGA’s concerns were the lack of streaming residuals, the use of artificial intelligence in script writing, and the Guild wanting requirements for “mandatory staffing” and “duration of employment” terms to be added to their contract.

While the WGA strike appears to be tentatively resolved, the AMPTP must still deal with the SAG-AFTRA strike from the actor’s union, which has many of the same issues the WGA had. That strike has been ongoing for 70 days. Late night comedy and talk shows will be able to return almost immediately once the deal is ratified, as they are not struck productions under the SAG-AFTRA strike. Any films and scripted television shows who do not have an Interim Agreement with the guild will remain shut down until that strike is settled.

The WGA’s full statement is below:

DEAR MEMBERS,

We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language.

What we have won in this contract – most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd – is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.
We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.

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.

Once the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP is complete, the Negotiating Committee will vote on whether to recommend the agreement and send it on to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council for approval. The Board and Council will then vote on whether to authorize a contract ratification vote by the membership.

If that authorization is approved, the Board and Council would also vote on whether to lift the restraining order and end the strike at a certain date and time (to be determined) pending ratification. This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.

Immediately after those leadership votes, which are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday if the language is settled, we will provide a comprehensive summary of the deal points and the Memorandum of Agreement. We will also convene meetings where members will have the opportunity to learn more about and assess the deal before voting on ratification.

To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.

Finally, we appreciated your patience as you waited for news from us — and had to fend off rumors — during the last few days of the negotiation. Please wait for further information from the Guild. We will have more to share with you in the coming days, as we finalize the contract language and go through our unions’ processes.

As always, thank you for your support. You will hear from us again very soon