The WGA Agreement Is Just The Latest Example That Strikes Work

Late last night, the Writers Guild of America announced they have reached a tentative agreement with the Hollywood studios. The union’s negotiating committee is calling the deal “exceptional,” but it’s now up to rank-and-file writers to vote on it.

by Alex N. Press, Jacobin

At long last, Hollywood writers have a deal. Late last night, on day 146 of the 11,500-person-strong Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) strike that began on May 2, the union announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

“We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language,” the WGA negotiating committee wrote in a message to membership. “We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.”

Members of WGA walk with pickets on strike outside the Culver Studio, Tuesday May 2, 2023 in Culver City, California.

The details of the agreement remain scarce as the union’s lawyers finalize the language. Once they do so, the negotiating committee will vote on whether to recommend the tentative agreement and send it to the WGA-West Board and the WGA-East Council. Those elected bodies will then decide whether to authorize a ratification vote by the rank-and-file membership. Such votes are expected to begin taking place tomorrow. And until a vote is held and the majority of ballots are in favor of ratification, WGA members remain on strike.