Hollywood writers can return to work as the five-month strike comes to an end. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced that writers are allowed to resume work, although they still need to vote on the deal reached between their leadership and production heads. The preliminary deal includes major gains for writers, such as success-based residuals, strong limitations on AI, minimum writers room staffing, and guaranteed compensation for streaming writers. The agreement is seen as a victory for writers and marks a new era for labor in the industry.
As Hollywood writers head back to work, what’s in the new labor deal?
The five-month strike in the entertainment industry has officially ended, allowing Hollywood writers to resume work. The deal reached between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and production heads includes several significant gains for writers. These include success-based residuals, strong limitations on artificial intelligence (AI), minimum staffing requirements in writers rooms, and guaranteed compensation for comedy/variety writers in streaming. The agreement is considered a victory for writers and marks a new era for labor in the industry.
One of the key provisions of the new labor deal is success-based residuals. This means that writers will receive additional compensation based on the popularity of the shows they work on, especially those streamed on platforms like Netflix and HBO Max. The deal also includes strong limitations on artificial intelligence, addressing concerns about the impact of AI on the industry. Additionally, the agreement ensures minimum staffing in writers rooms, providing more job security for writers. These provisions are seen as major wins for the writers’ union.
The strike, which began on May 2, was driven by the need for fair compensation and better working conditions for writers. Many writers in the entertainment industry were struggling between gigs, with little in the way of residuals to rely on. The new labor deal addresses these concerns by providing raises in both pay and residuals earnings for writers. The agreement also aims to adapt to the changing landscape of the industry, particularly with the rise of streaming platforms. By securing guaranteed compensation and 13-week minimums for comedy/variety writers in streaming, the deal acknowledges the evolving nature of the entertainment industry.
