The Writers Guild of America West and Hollywood studios have reached a surprise four-year tentative agreement after about three weeks of negotiations.
The Writers Guild announced on X that its negotiating committee unanimously approved the agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios. The AMPTP confirmed the deal on its website on Saturday.
The new agreement, which extends the typical contract length by a year, includes important provisions such as improved health care plans and protections against artificial intelligence. The Writers Guild stated that the deal builds on gains from 2023 and addresses issues related to free work. The AMPTP expressed its commitment to “building on this progress” for long-term industry stability, as reported by NPR.
This tentative agreement comes just weeks before the current contract’s expiration on May 1. It follows a historic strike in 2023 that disrupted Hollywood productions for months. The new contract still requires ratification by the guild’s board and members, which could happen later this month.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America West is dealing with an ongoing strike by its own staff union, which began in February. The staff union, which includes workers in legal and communications, alleges unfair labor practices by the guild’s management. The internal strike led to the cancellation of the guild’s annual West Coast award show in March, according to U.S. News.
The agreement also arrives as the AMPTP is negotiating new deals with unions representing actors and directors, whose contracts expire at the end of June. The new writers’ contract is expected to include rules around AI use, pension increases, and extra compensation for streaming video on demand, as noted by Newsday.
Recent Comments