Hollywood writers ready to end five-month strike after new studio deal
After a prolonged battle to secure fundamental worker rights and guarantees for the future, Hollywood writers are finally ready to lift the five-month strike following a new agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
In a new statement on Tuesday, September 26th, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced that writers are now allowed to start new assignments. Simultaneously, a ratification vote is underway concerning the new agreement that tackled issues like fair payment and the use of AI-generated scripts.
WGA West chief Ellen Stutzman stated: “This is the deal writers needed to get. I think what we’ve seen over the almost five-month period is that writers are more than willing to stay out and hold out to get what they needed.”
Stutzman added: “Also, to be very honest, SAG-AFTRA joining us and their members, you know, having the many of same issues that our members have and being willing to go on strike to deal with the changes in their profession was a big boost. It really was helpful in getting the deal, and now we’ve got to help them get what they need.”
WGA West President Meredith Stiehm commented: “AI… was also an existential proposal — one that had to addressed now. It just was amazing that people hung together. They were as strong as they were on Day 1 they were on Day 148, and that’s why we got it all. I do think it will affect future generations of writers. It’s not just for the next few years; we’ve now set precedents that are going to apply to future negotiations.”
Stutzman concluded: “I think that’s the history of the Writers Guild is that it strikes for important things, transformative things — and that’s what we did here.”
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