Hollywood actors and screenwriters reached an agreement in principle and the strike that has paralyzed much of the film industry could come to an end, with the creation of a new collective bargaining agreement. The protest has had a negative impact on the California economy, not only due to the impossibility of carrying out productions, but also due to all the suppliers that are affected.
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The Hollywood Screenwriters Guild (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced that they had reached an agreement in principle that would put an end to the strike that has been ongoing since last July. film activity to important audiovisual companies. This agreement would imply the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement.
The WGA represents 11,500 film and television workers and this agreement in principle was called “exceptional” by the organization, due to the “significant gains and protections for writers.”
The parties have not yet informed the date on which the protest could end, because the studios still have to negotiate with the actors’ union (SAG-AFTRA) which brings together some 160,000 workers.
According to the digital site specialized in cinema ‘IndieWire’, cited by the EFE agency, this tentative agreement does not yet require any scriptwriter to return to work until the contract is ratified, but the demonstrations are suspended.
To date, it is not known exactly which pact the union referred to on Sunday, September 24. However, the WGA highlights that this was achieved due to the willingness of all its members to exercise their power, demonstrate their solidarity and endure the uncertainty and “pain” of these last 146 days.
“It now remains for our staff to ensure that everything agreed upon is in the final contract language. While we are eager to share the details, we cannot do so until all points have been put on paper,” the negotiating committee said. according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ magazine.
The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement. This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who stood with us for over 146 days. More details coming after contract language is finalized. #WGAStrike pic.twitter.com/GBg2wZBwGB
— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) September 25, 2023
This hopeful agreement for the film industry must first be validated by the WGA committee and then by the union boards in the east and west of the country. The debate and vote could take place on Tuesday, September 26. If approved, those involved would analyze when to end the strike.
Negotiations with scriptwriters took place for five days. Last Wednesday, September 20, the dialogue and offer sessions between the parties began at the offices of the Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP), in which senior executives from companies such as Warner Bros, Discovery, Netflix and NBCUniversal participated.
The interest in reaching a solution to this conflict belongs to the entire California community. The state governor himself, Gavin Newsom, participated as a mediator in the meetings between the companies and the union, so that the parties did not leave the table until an agreement was reached, local press reported.
146 days of strike and stoppage of the Hollywood industry
The screenwriters’ strike began on May 2 of this year, based on the demand for better working conditions, regulation of artificial intelligence and fair payments every time one of their works is re-broadcast, something that is known as the so-called residual rights.
On July 14, the actors joined the paralysis of activities also due to similar complaints.
Progress on a proposal was necessary, since the writers’ union was willing to extend the strike until 2024.
For its part, and waiting for them to be called to sit down for dialogue, the actors union celebrated the principle of agreement between scriptwriters and companies, but clarified that the protests in their sector continue.
“While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s agreement in principle, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members,” they said in a statement, in which SAG-AFTRA urged studio and streaming platform executives streaming to resume negotiations to achieve the “fair agreement” that the actors “demand and deserve.”
An economy that was affected
The 146 days of strike were felt by the California economy, where not only the audiovisual industry went into crisis, but also hundreds of indirect workers and suppliers of products and services, which were offered to film and television studios.
In Hollywood, film and television series production was paralyzed, to the point that major TV networks were forced to repeat late-night talk shows.
Efforts to restart daytime talk shows without writers, such as ‘The Drew Barrymore Show,’ failed this month amid criticism from striking writers and actors.
The work stoppage affected camera operators, carpenters, production assistants and other crew members, as well as caterers, florists, costume suppliers and other small businesses that support film and television production.
The economic cost of the losses is expected to total at least $5 billion in California.
This strike was not the first in the sector in history. In 1988 and between 2008 and 2009, screenwriters and scriptwriters had also gone on strike, demanding job improvements and asking for measures against piracy of productions.
With EFE, Reuters and local media.
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