The 146-Days Strike Comes to an End!

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have tentatively agreed on a new three-year contract, ending the 146-day strike affecting the entertainment industry and five days of heated deliberations ended on Sunday as negotiators finalized groundbreaking WGA Minimum Basic Agreement additions.

The strike continued until the guild’s contract approval and ratification, but picketing ceased Sunday night. Guild leaders will decide on Tuesday whether to rescind the strike order against AMPTP signatories.

The contract agreement will be released after finalizing the final language in the coming days. WGA leadership expects the negotiating committee to vote on whether to recommend the deal to the WGA West board and WGA East council. The WGA’s 11,000 members will ratify the contract if both bodies agree.

Asserting patience, the negotiating group said, “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.”

Since WGA leaders enthusiastically support the strike, which began on May 2, WGA members are expected to support it. Negotiators set a soft deadline in advance of Yom Kippur on Sunday.

Throughout the strike, WGA members’ unity and activism were crucial. Members interrupted productions that tried to proceed without the strike using picket lines.

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SAG-AFTRA, on strike since July 14, applauded the WGA and pledged to negotiate acceptable terms for its members.

The DGA applauded the WGA’s tentative deal and asked the AMPTP to begin SAG-AFTRA talks.

The end of the WGA strike could help SAG-AFTRA’s walkout end and normalize entertainment sector output. Filming will take time following a five-month vacation for studios and streams.

On September 20, industry leaders started marathon talks to break the deadlock after a month.

In this contract negotiation, the WGA achieved its main goals, including setting a minimum guaranteed staff level for episodic TV, which was initially unlikely.

The May strike halted production and devastated Hollywood’s biggest employers. The WGA said the AMPTP’s initial offer was inadequate and had many loopholes.

After a WGA accord, the AMPTP will negotiate with SAG-AFTRA. Content development, distribution, marketing, and promotion should return to normal, relieving the entertainment business.