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After nearly five months of striking, Hollywood writers have finally won a new contract from the studios. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement on September 26, 2023, which was ratified by union members on October 9, 2023.
The new contract includes a number of gains for writers, including:
- Increased wages and residuals
- Transparency and payments for streaming revenue
- Protections against the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing rooms
- Improved working conditions, such as minimum room sizes and breaks
The strike had a significant impact on Hollywood, with many shows and movies being delayed or canceled. However, the writers’ victory is seen as a major win for labor unions and the creative community.
PHOTO: JOSE PEREZ/BAUER-GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES
What were the key issues in the strike?
The key issues in the strike were wages and residuals, streaming revenue, artificial intelligence, and working conditions.
- Wages and residuals: Writers had been demanding a wage increase and higher residuals, which are the payments they receive when their work is rebroadcast or streamed.
- Streaming revenue: Writers had also been demanding more transparency and payments for streaming revenue. Streaming services have become increasingly popular in recent years, but writers have not been compensated fairly for their work on these platforms.
- Artificial intelligence: Writers were also concerned about the potential for AI to be used to replace them in writing rooms. They demanded safeguards to protect their jobs and ensure that their work is not used without their permission.
- Working conditions: Writers also demanded improved working conditions, such as minimum room sizes and breaks.
What did the writers win in the new contract?
The new contract includes gains for writers in all of the key areas that the union had been fighting for.
- Wages: Writers will receive a 3% wage increase in the first year of the contract, followed by 2% wage increases in the second and third years.
- Residuals: Writers will receive higher residuals for their work on streaming services. They will also be entitled to residuals for their work on shows that are broadcast on foreign networks.
- Streaming revenue: The AMPTP will provide writers with more transparency about how streaming revenue is calculated and paid out. Writers will also receive a share of the revenue from streaming services.
- Artificial intelligence: The AMPTP has agreed to a number of safeguards to protect writers from the use of AI in writing rooms. For example, AI will not be used to write scenes or scripts, and writers will have the right to review and approve any AI-generated content before it is used in their work.
- Working conditions: The new contract includes a number of provisions to improve working conditions for writers, such as minimum room sizes and breaks.
What does the end of the strike mean for Hollywood?
The end of the writers strike is a major victory for labor unions and the creative community. It shows that workers can come together to fight for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. It also sends a message to the entertainment industry that writers are valued and that their work deserves to be compensated fairly.
The 2023 Hollywood writers strike was a long and difficult one, but in the end, the writers won big. The new contract includes gains in all of the key areas that the union had been fighting for. This is a victory for labor unions and the creative community, and it sends a message to the entertainment industry that writers are valued and that their work deserves to be compensated fairly.
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