The Writers Guild of America, representing more than 11,000 screenwriters, reached a deal on a new contract this Sunday night. The writer’s strike was one of the longest in the history of the Writers Guild. The last time writers and actors were both on strike at the same time was in 1960. In the coming days, the members will vote on whether to accept the new deal. The contract includes what they had demanded, including increases in recompense for streaming content, and guarantees that AI technology will not intrude on writer’s credits. and adjustments from studios on minimum stuffing for TV shows.
In an email to members, the WGA negotiating committee said, “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 productions that could restart in short order would be the ones without the actors, such as the late-night shows. Most of Hollywood is going to remain shut down with thousands of actors still on strike. No talks between the SAG-AFTRA and the studios are scheduled yet.
Writer’s Strike End While SAG-AFTRA Strike Continues
Hours after WGA announced the end of the writer’s strike after an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, SAG-AFTRA congratulated their colleagues. “SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines,” SAG-AFTRA shared an official statement. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.”
“Since the day the WGA strike began, SAG-AFTRA members have stood alongside the writers on the picket lines,” the statement adds. “We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical contract and continue to urge the studio and streamer CEOs and the AMPTP to return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand.”
With a tentative deal in hand, the Writers Guild suspended picketing. The union, however, encouraged members to join the striking actors’ picket lines, which will begin again on Tuesday.
Reason Behind the Actor’s Strike
Earlier this year, at a union press conference SAG-AFTRA counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed the reason behind the strike. “This ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day’s pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and compensation. So, if you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again.”
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher added, “What makes you think they’re not interested in what’s happening here? I think that they have an allegiance to all of us because we bring joy to their lives. and during COVID, they turned to us for everything.”
She concluded her statement by saying, “So I don’t think that your assumption that they don’t really care about anything but being entertained over the summer is the bottom line, when the people that give so much to them and enrich their lives in so many ways, are saying. ‘We are being taken advantage of in a terrible way.’ And if we let this happen to us, dollars for doughnuts, it’s gonna happen to you and your family, your children, and everybody that you work with too. That’s how threatening this moment is in our nation’s history.”
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