Hollywood film and TV writers are ending their nearly 150-day strike, which revolved around issues of pay, staffing levels, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in their industry. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced that they have reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which includes major players like Netflix, Warner Bros, and Disney.
The strike officially concludes at 12.01 am Pacific Time (8.01 am BST) on Wednesday. The agreement includes provisions for a 5% increase in minimum pay, followed by 4% in the subsequent year and 3.5% in 2025. It also addresses residual payments, ensuring that writers continue to receive compensation when their work is aired on television or streamed, a point initially contested by studios.
Additionally, there are now regulations on the size of writers’ rooms, with shows running for more than 13 episodes required to have at least six staff writers, who must be employed for at least 10 weeks during development or three weeks per episode for shows going on air. Writers also secured concessions related to health care and pensions.
One of the significant aspects of the agreement pertains to the use of AI in the industry. Under the deal, AI-generated storylines will not be considered “source” material, and writers cannot be compelled to use AI technology in their work.
Although the strike is ending, guild members will need to ratify the agreement through voting scheduled between October 2 and October 9. In the meantime, members are encouraged to return to work.
Late-night talk shows hosted by personalities like Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver are expected to be among the first to resume. Drew Barrymore, who hosts her own chat show on CBS, previously faced criticism for planning to return during the strike, with some calling her a “scab” for not honoring the strike. Her show was not directly affected by the strike, but her writers were, and she eventually postponed the show’s return.
While writers are returning to work, Hollywood actors represented by SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) are still on strike against the studios in the AMPTP. They are advocating for their own deals concerning AI, residuals, and healthcare. WGA members have been urged to show solidarity with actors by joining picket lines, where celebrities like Richard Gere and Pedro Pascal have been seen in recent days.
