The Writers Guild of America reached a tentative deal Sunday with film and TV studios that might end an almost five-month strike and get Hollywood rolling again.
Union officials emailed WGA members Sunday informing them a latest three-year agreement was tentatively reached, in response to Variety and other outlets.
They called the brand new contract “exceptional” and said it could have “meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.”
“What we’ve got won on this contract – most particularly, the whole lot we’ve got gained since May 2nd – is because of the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to display its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days,” a part of the e-mail from the WGA Negotiating Committee states, Variety reported.
“It’s the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the businesses back to the table to make a deal.”
The likely deal comes as each side took part in intensive bargaining over the weekend.
There have been signs last week that the strike, which brought Hollywood to a halt for 146 days, seemed to be nearing the top when the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers issued a joint statement that they were back in talks.
The Alliance represents studios, streaming services and producers within the negotiations.
The writers have been striking since May. Getty Images
Union leaders met Wednesday with top studio bosses including Disney CEO Robert Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and NBCUniversal Studio Chair Donna Langley with a source telling Reuters the session was “encouraging.”
The WGA represents around 11,000 writers in film and TV.
Further details weren’t disclosed Sunday because the contract language is being solidified.
The guild’s board and its members must log out on the deal before the strike involves an in depth.
With Post wires.
