Hollywood writers are officially ending their five-month strike, after union leaders approved an agreement made with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The WGA reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year Minimum Basic Agreement. On September 26th, the Negotiating Committee, the WGAW Board and WGAE Council all voted unanimously to recommend the agreement. It will now go to both guilds’ memberships for a ratification vote. Eligible voters will be able to vote from October 2nd through October 9th, and will receive ballot and ratification materials when the vote opens.
The WGAW Board and WGAE Council also voted to lift the restraining order and end the strike as of 12:01 am PT/3:01 am ET on Wednesday, September 27th. This allows writers to return to work during the ratification process, but does not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.
Late-night and daytime television are expected to return to the air quickly. But most TV and film production cannot yet resume as the actors’ strike is still under way, and the strikes have already affected the production and release schedules for the coming months.
The move brings a dramatic chapter in Hollywood to a close after the strike – one of the longest in the industry’s history –brought productions to a halt, sending shock waves across Los Angeles and beyond.