What exists is a proposal for a three-year agreement, which, however, must be approved by the union’s board and members before the strike is called off, according to the Writers Guild of America (WGA). “We are still on strike until then,” the union underlines in a letter to members, but adds that there will be no pickets outside the offices anymore. Negotiation marathon The agreement was hammered out during a five-day negotiation marathon with the industry organization Alliance of motion picture and television producers (AMPTP). No details of what the agreement contains have been made public. “We are very proud to say that this deal is exceptional, with meaningful gains and protections for screenwriters in every sector,” the WGA wrote in the letter to members. At the last strike, in 2008, 90 percent of the members accepted what was then put forward as a settlement proposal. Actors’ strike continues WGA members – about 11,500 screenwriters – went on strike on May 2 demanding better conditions, more money from streaming and limiting the use of AI in the scripting process. Since July 14, the actors’ union Sag-Aftra, with over 160,000 members, has also gone on strike. They have not yet reached an agreement and their strike is therefore expected to continue. Without actors and screenwriters, Hollywood has basically stood still since last spring. No contractual productions have continued and movie stars have not been allowed to promote their new films – with postponed premieres as a consequence.
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