After nearly five months of standstill, the long-running writers’ strike in Hollywood is finally coming to an end. The Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) leadership voted on Tuesday to officially end the strike, approving a new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The deal is set to take effect just after midnight.
This breakthrough means that striking writers can start working on Hollywood productions as early as Wednesday, even though the ratification vote won’t happen until next week. However, it is expected that the vote will pass without any issues.
One notable figure affected by the strike is Bill Maher. Initially, Maher had planned to bring his talk show back without writers, but he later reversed course after the tentative deal was reached. Maher announced that his writers will be returning ASAP, and he will have a new episode of his HBO show airing on Friday.
The strike, which began on May 2, has been a contentious battle over fair wages, residuals, demands to limit the use of AI by studios, transparency from streaming companies, and other important issues. Writers on both coasts of the US have been fighting for their rights throughout the summer.
The WGA and AMPTP recently returned to the negotiating table, leading to the tentative deal being struck over the weekend. It seems that producers finally met most of the guild’s demands, resulting in a more favorable contract for writers. The new agreement includes pay increases, limits on AI usage, and more guaranteed jobs in writer rooms, among other provisions.
However, while writers can now pick up their pens again, it doesn’t mean that Hollywood productions will immediately resume as normal. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is still on strike, fighting for fair treatment and better agreements. Approximately 65,000 actors joined the writers in July, seeking resolution on similar issues. Many celebrities have been seen on picket lines, showing their support and pausing the production of some beloved shows and movies.
Although the end of the writers’ strike is a significant step forward, Hollywood won’t fully reopen until SAG-AFTRA is able to hammer out their own agreement with the studios. Only then will all aspects of the industry be back in motion, allowing for the development and production of new projects.
Overall, the end of the writers’ strike is a major development in the entertainment industry, bringing relief to writers and paving the way for progress on various important issues. Let’s hope that SAG-AFTRA can also reach a favorable agreement soon, ensuring fair treatment for all those involved in creating the movies and shows we love.
