After 146 days of strikes by the Writers Guild of America seeking a better deal and fair pay/residuals for its members from the studios, it appears Hollywood might finally be able to release the breath it has been holding for months. A tentative deal between the union and the AMPTP was reached after days of extensive negotiations.
Of course, it won't be official until voted upon and ratified by the guild, but the indications are positive and the deal is expected to be locked in this week.
Now we wait to see how long it takes actors and performers – represented by SAG-AFTRA – to land their own deal, since they have been on strike since 14 July, but the writers' deal means there is a much clearer path to that.
"What we have won in this contract — most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd — is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days," said the WGA leadership in an email to the membership. "It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal." To see the full statement, head to the WGA West site.