The Writers' Strike Comes to an End: WGA Decides to Rescind Strike Order Following 148 Days

By M Muzamil Shami

     Images by Getty

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has officially come to an end.

After 148 days of work stoppage, both the board of the WGA West and the council of the WGA East voted unanimously on Tuesday to revoke the strike order effective 12:01 a.m. PT on Wednesday. This decision follows a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This means that writers can resume work starting Wednesday, even before the final ratification vote.

The ratification vote is scheduled to take place from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9. The WGA will conduct member meetings on both coasts this week, both in person and via zoom, to go over the specifics of the contract. Given the strong endorsement from the WGA negotiating committee, it is anticipated to be easily ratified by members who were weary from the strike.

The decision to rescind the strike order came after unanimous approvals from the WGA's negotiating committee, the WGA West board, and the WGA East council, all of whom voted to submit the contract to members for ratification.

On Wednesday night, at 7 p.m. PT, the WGA West will host a member meeting at the Hollywood Palladium. Simultaneously, the WGA East will assemble at the Manhattan Center at 6 p.m. ET. Zoom meetings are scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m. PT and Friday at 11 a.m. PT.

Furthermore, the WGA has made available both the comprehensive 94-page contract and a concise summary of the new terms. This agreement encompasses advancements in compensation, a fresh stipulation for minimum staffing levels in TV writers' rooms, enhanced payment conditions for screenwriters, and safeguards regarding the utilization of artificial intelligence in the writing process, all in accordance with the guild's accord:

• AI is unable to create or revise literary content, and material generated by AI will not qualify as source material according to the MBA. This implies that AI-generated content cannot be employed to diminish a writer's attribution or their entitlement to separate rights.

• A writer has the option to incorporate AI in their writing services, provided that the company grants permission and the writer adheres to relevant company guidelines. However, the company cannot mandate the writer to utilize AI software (such as ChatGPT) for rendering writing services.

• The Company is required to inform the writer if any materials provided to them have been created by AI or contain content generated by AI.

• The WGA retains the authority to assert that utilizing writers' content for the purpose of training AI is prohibited under the MBA or any other applicable law.

The strike was brought to an end unanimously just two days after the writers and Hollywood studios successfully concluded talks for a new three-year deal on September 24th. After an extensive negotiation session, both parties were able to reach compromises on crucial issues, such as the use of generative AI in the creative process, minimum staffing requirements for writers' rooms, and streaming residuals.

In a statement announcing the tentative deal on Sunday, the WGA expressed great pride in the exceptional nature of the agreement, emphasizing the meaningful gains and protections it provides for writers across all sectors of the membership.

The specific details of the tentative agreement have not yet been released by WGA and AMPTP. WGA members will soon vote to ratify the agreement. Before the contract is presented for the guild-wide vote, the WGA negotiation committee must first vote to forward it to the WGA West and WGA East boards for approval. Once approved by the boards, the document will be submitted to the larger membership for a ratification vote.

The WGA's decision to end the strike order officially concludes the work stoppage, which was still in effect as of Sunday. The WGA reminded its members, "To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. However, as of today, we are suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week."

SAG-AFTRA continues to picket the AMPTP, awaiting its turn to return to the negotiating table after its 75-day strike.