2023-09-25 08:54:54
The American writers’ union (Writers Guild of America, WGA) and the Holywood studios reached an agreement in principle this Sunday that might end a months-long strike in the sector. “We have reached a tentative agreement, which means an agreement in principle on all points of the deal, subject to a final contractual drafting,” indicates a letter that the union sent to its members.
“We can say, with great pride, that this agreement is exceptional, with significant achievements and protections for screenwriters in all sectors,” says the letter, which does not give details of the arrangement. “To be clear, no one will return to work until specifically authorized by the union. We are still on strike until then. But, as of today, we are suspending the protests,” she says.
A brief joint statement from the WGA and AMPTPT, the group that represents studios and streaming companies, confirmed the agreement.
Actors strike
Thousands of film and television scriptwriters stopped working at the beginning of May demanding better pay, bigger prizes for creating successful shows and protection once morest artificial intelligence (AI).
They have been mobilizing for months in front of studios such as Netflix and Disney, and in mid-July the striking actors joined them, leaving the normally busy Hollywood sets practically empty.
Actors union SAG-AFTRA congratulated the WGA on the agreement in principle and praised the “incredible strength, resilience and solidarity of the protests.”
“While we wait to review the WGA and AMPTP interim agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary conditions for our members,” the union said.
Negotiations between the studios and screenwriters had been stalled for weeks, until in recent days a new sense of urgency seemed to have been injected into the process, with the heads of Netflix, Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery personally attending the conversations.
Among their claims, the screenwriters say that their salaries have not kept pace with inflation and that the rise of internet streaming has reduced the “residual” payments, which they earn when a series they work on becomes a big success.
The writers have also demanded that the use of the I be limitedA, since they fear that it might be used to partially replace them in the development of movie or series scripts, which would further reduce their income.
The cost of the strike
The Financial Times reported on a report by the Milken Institute that, at the beginning of September, estimated the cost of the strike for Hollywood at around $5 billion.
At 146 days, the WGA strike is much longer than that of the screenwriters who paralyzed their activities for 100 days between 2007 and 2008, and which cost the California economy $2.1 billion.
Although the writers’ strike ends, it will not necessarily be the case with the actors’ strike, which will continue. There are no reports of conversations between the studios and SAG-AFTRA, which brings together 160,000 of them.
“We continue to strike on our TV/Theater contract and continue to urge the CEOs of the studios and streamers and the AMPTP to return to the table and reach the fair agreement that our members deserve and demand,” confirmed SAG- AFTRA.
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