How long did the WGA strike last? Details explored as strike declared officially over
The representative body of writers and the body behind one of the ongoing strikes in Hollywood, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), has officially called off the WGA strike after 148 days since its commencement.
The WGA strike that began on May 2, 2023, has received votes from the board of WGA West and Council of WGA East for the writers' strike to be lifted at 12:01 am PT on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
The tentative agreement based on the 94-page contract sent to WGA by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has been unveiled by WGA for public access.
WGA strike ends with writers back at work on September 27, 2023
The backbone of the glamourous world of Hollywood, writers and media professionals, had gone on strike on May 2, 2023, over a list of demands. These demands included higher royalties, discontinuation of mini-rooms, judicious staffing of writing rooms, and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) sent over a contract after a three-day marathon of legal negotiations as their best and final offer which would then be voted upon and dealt with accordingly.
Good news poured in as the stakeholders of the strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) decided to end the strike after a unanimous vote from the board of WGA West and the council of WGA East.
The 94-page contract was then unveiled for scrutiny and perusal as it underlined their demands such as better compensation, staffing of writers' rooms, and use against AI software.
The reason for growing tensions in all industries, artificial intelligence, has been mentioned in the contract as both parties have agreed to not consider AI-generated content as source material.
However, writers will have the freedom to use AI-generated text with full disclosure and compliance with the company policies.
The end of the 148-day strike means that writers can return to their jobs starting from 12:01 am PT on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
The ratification vote will continue to be held from October 2, 2023, to October 9, 2023.
Does the end of the WGA strike mean Hollywood is back in business?
Even though WGA has called off its strike and writers can resume their work after a tentative deal on September 24, 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike continues.
The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have kept major A-listers away from ongoing and halted productions and publicity campaigns over their demands.
The SAG-AFTRA demands streaming residuals adjusted with inflation, increased compensation and higher minimum wages, consent and compensation for AI-generated content based on their likenesses and better work conditions.
However, there have been no developments in the matter since July 14, 2023, as actors continue to picket outside production houses and filming studios.
In light of the WGA strike ending, SAG-AFTRA has extended its support and wishes as they said in a public 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. 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.”
According to Reuters, the double strike in Hollywood has cost the US economy approximately $5 billion so far.
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Prem Deshpande