WGA reaches tentative agreement with studios; strike to end soon

But SAG-AFTRA is still on strike

After 146 days, the 2023 Writer’s Strike is coming to an end as the two parties agreed to a tentative agreement.

The Writer’s Guild of America (West and East) made the announcement Sunday evening in a joint statement with The Alliance Of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP, a group representing Hollywood studios, producers, and streamers.

“WGA has reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP,” the guild said in an email to members. “This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who joined us on the picket lines for over 146 days.”

Though details of the new deal have yet to be released as the contract hasn’t been voted on yet, it is expected to be three years and covers all of the things the writer’s were fighting for. Even though there is a tentative agreement, the strike continues as the contract is yet to be ratified and the guild can the lift the ban on work for the studios, but all picketing is suspended. Plus, SAG-AFTRA is still on strike and it’s unlikely most writers would cross their picket line as negotiations have yet to resume.

“SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency and solidarity on the picket lines,” the guild said in a statement Sunday. “While we look forward to reviewing the WGA and AMPTP’s tentative agreement, we remain committed to achieving the necessary terms for our members.”

There were long stretches of time when they were no negotiations at all – and when they did meet, the talks went nowhere. But in the last week, meetings started up again led by studio CEOs, and both sides made significant progress – raising optimism the strike could soon end. Since the writers went on strike May 1, production on many TV shows stopped including a few daytime and virtually all late-night talk shows; delayed production on new seasons of fall shows; and when the actors joined them on July 14, almost all production shut down, costing local economies such as New York and Los Angeles and to a lesser extent Chicago millions of dollars in lost revenues. 

The 2023 WGA strike is now the second-longest walkout in history, falling short of the 153-day work stoppage lasting from March 7 to August 7, 1988. When the actors walked out, it marked the first time since 1960 both unions were simultaneously on strike.

In a wider context, the NHL lockout of 2004-05 lasted 310 days and the 1994-95 MLB lockout lasted 232 days.