An end to the months-long Hollywood writers’ strike could be on the horizon, with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announcing a tentative minimum basic agreement (MBA). Details of the agreement were not revealed. Contract concerns included increased royalties, mandatory staffing of TV writers rooms and protections against artificial intelligence.
While WGA members are not yet okayed to return to work, the Guild is suspending picketing pending ratification of the 2023 MBA. However, members who are able to lend their support to SAG-AFTRA pickets are encouraged to do so. (The actors’ guild announced Monday night that members have voted 98.32% in favor of a strike authorization on the Interactive Media Agreement, covering members’ work on video games. Impacted companies include Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Epic Games, Take 2, VoiceWorks Productions and WB Games).
This light at the end of the tunnel was revealed following virtual discussions between the parties’ negotiating committees on Sunday. The WGA committee, led by Ellen Stutzman, will vote on whether to recommend this agreement to the Writers Guild of America West Board and Writers Guild of America East Council for approval. The Board and Council will then vote firstly on a contract ratification member’ vote, and secondly on a return to work during ratification.
Officially launched on May 2, the 160-day WGA strike combined with the ensuing actors’ strike authorized by SAG-AFTRA (70-plus days and counting) have cost the California economy an estimated $5 billion, according to Deadline. The work stoppages had started to impact the insulated animation industry as well, with examples including the loss of a release window for Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and delays for Disney-owned Marvel series What If…? Season 2 and X-Men ’97 as well as a production hiccup on FOX’s Bob’s Burgers.
Read the full WGA statement below and follow wgacontract2023.org for updates.
Dear Members,
We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language.
What we have won in this contract — most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd — is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.
We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.
What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language. And 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. To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again — one last time.
Once the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP is complete, the Negotiating Committee will vote on whether to recommend the agreement and send it on to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council for approval. The Board and Council will then vote on whether to authorize a contract ratification vote by the membership.
If that authorization is approved, the Board and Council would also vote on whether to lift the restraining order and end the strike at a certain date and time (to be determined) pending ratification. This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.
Immediately after those leadership votes, which are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday if the language is settled, we will provide a comprehensive summary of the deal points and the Memorandum of Agreement. We will also convene meetings where members will have the opportunity to learn more about and assess the deal before voting on ratification.
To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.
Finally, we appreciated your patience as you waited for news from us—and had to fend off rumors—during the last few days of the negotiation. Please wait for further information from the Guild. We will have more to share with you in the coming days, as we finalize the contract language and go through our unions’ processes.
As always, thank you for your support. You will hear from us again very soon.
In solidarity,
WGA Negotiating Committee
