Is WGA ending the strike? Hollywood studios and writers to negotiate a deal on Thursday

The WGA strike seems to be coming to an end, as the writers and producers are all set to meet the Hollywood studios’ negotiators face-to-face to finalize a deal. Per a Reuters report, WGA and Hollywood studios would meet on Thursday, September 21, 2023, to resolve the five-month strike that hugely disturbed film and TV production.

CNBC reported that both parties were “near an agreement,” and the meeting on Thursday can end the strike if a suitable deal is cracked. However, reports also stated that if a mutual decision is not reached, the strike can go on till the end of the year, thus hampering film and TV production to a greater extent.

This will be the first time WGA will sit for a negotiation since the strike began. The two parties also met on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and issued a joint statement claiming that the final bargaining meeting would be held the next day. The meeting on Wednesday was attended by Disney CEO Bob Iger, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, and Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

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WGA strike can end if a suitable deal is reached during the Thursday meeting

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May 2023 as many writers and producers demanded better compensation, residuals, increased staffing requirements, and protection from artificial intelligence that often interferes with their jobs.

While many shows and movies are on a halt due to the strike, things are now looking like they will return to normal after the meeting between the two parties on Thursday. Since the writers and producers have been on strike for many months, the Hollywood industry is at a standstill, as many shows like Netflix’s Stranger Things, Disney’s Blade, and Paramount’s Evil are paused.

Reportedly, more than 11,000 people have been on strike, which has hampered the industry to a great extent.

The Writers Guild of America has often called it an “existential crisis” for the writers and producers due to the unfair practices in the industry. On the organization’s website, a message from the WGA negotiating committee co-chair, Chris Keyser, reads:

“We have reached this moment today not of our own choosing but because the companies’ assault on writer income and working conditions have pushed us to an existential brink.”

At the moment, it is not known who will be the attendees of this meeting. However, the Writers Guild of America has made it clear that they would be ending the strike only if the deal is proposed in their favor. At the moment, neither of the two parties has commented on the meeting.