Hollywood Writers’ Strike Ends: Industry Resumes Production After 5-Month Standstill
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Hollywood writers’ strike, which had brought the industry to a standstill for nearly five months, officially ended on Tuesday night. The boards of the Writers Guild of America’s eastern and western branches, along with their joint negotiating committee, voted to approve the contract agreement reached with studios, streaming services, and production companies. As a result, production in the industry can now resume, albeit partially.
Late-night talk shows, which were the first to go on hiatus when writers walked out on May 2, will likely be the first to resume. However, scripted shows will take longer to return as actors are still on strike and negotiations have yet to begin.
While the contract agreement still needs to be ratified by the writers themselves in early October, the strike’s suspension allows them to work on scripts during that process. According to an email sent to guild members, the contracts were released for the first time to the writers, who hailed the deal as exceptional.
The three-year agreement addresses the key areas the writers fought for, including compensation, length of employment, size of staffs, and control of artificial intelligence. The terms of the deal are in line with or close to what the writers initially sought when the strike began.
One of the major victories for the writers is the increase in pay and future residual earnings from shows. The union had originally requested minimum increases of 5% to 6%, while the studios proposed between 2% and 4%. The compromise reached is a raise ranging from 3.5% to 5%.
The deal also includes negotiated residual payments based on the popularity of streaming shows. This ensures that writers receive bonuses for their contributions to the most popular shows on platforms like Netflix and Max. Initially rejected by the studios, this provision addresses the writers’ concerns about fair compensation for their work on highly-watched properties.
Furthermore, the agreement guarantees that shows intended to run for at least 13 episodes will have a minimum of six writers on staff. The numbers of writers will vary based on the episode count. Although the demand for guaranteed staffs of six on shows not yet ordered to series was not met, the writers secured a guaranteed three writers for such shows.
Another win for the writers is the regulation and control of artificial intelligence in the industry. Under the contract, AI-generated storylines will not be considered literary material or source material, thereby ensuring that writers are not in competition with computers for screen credits. However, writers are allowed to utilize AI in their creative process if the company they work for agrees and certain conditions are met.
While the Hollywood writers celebrate the end of their strike, members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists remain on strike. However, their spirits are lifted by the progress made by the writers and the hope for a favorable outcome in their negotiations.
