In April, as the anticipation of a Writers Guild strike cast its shadow over Hollywood, The New Yorker conducted interviews with writers who were ready to halt their creative output over labor disputes with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Among them was Laura Jacqmin, writer to projects like Epix’s “Get Shorty” and Peacock’s “Joe vs. Carole.” She stated, “If we do not take a stand now, there will be nothing left to fight for in three years.” She encapsulated the prevailing atmosphere with a single word: “desperation.” The culmination of this strike unfolded just recently, concluding a 146-day ordeal for the members of the Writers Guild. On September 24, an email reached their inboxes, bearing the news that the WGA had achieved a “tentative” agreement with the AMPTP.
This monumental event can be traced back to April 3, when the Writers Guild initiated a vote among its members to authorize a strike. On the 17th of that month, the official announcement came, revealing an overwhelming 97.85 percent approval for strike authorization.
“It’s a very regular-degular, working-class existence,” Alex O’Keefe, a writer for FX’s The Bear, told The New Yorker about his work right before the strike. “And the only future I’m seeking financially is to enter that middle class, which has always been rare for someone who comes from poverty … I thought we would be treated more like collaborators on a product. It’s like an assembly line now”. His personal struggles were emblematic of the broader challenges faced by writers in the industry. During his tenure on the show, his small Brooklyn apartment lacked heat, forcing him to seek refuge in a public library. When his show received the WGA Award for Best Comedy Series, O’Keefe’s bank account was in the red, and he had to purchase his tuxedo for the ceremony on credit. The strike serves as a reminder that, despite being an industry rooted in creative expression for many, the entertainment industry ultimately operates as a business.
On September 20, the WGA and the AMPTP issued a rare joint statement indicative of a potential agreement. This collaborative announcement caught the attention of many in Hollywood, raising hopes that a deal might be struck by September 21. However, that anticipated outcome did not materialize. Nevertheless, the physical presence of industry heavyweights such as Disney’s Bob Iger, NBC Universal’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav at the meeting infused optimism into the situation. In an update sent to its members on September 21, the WGA shared, “The WGA and the AMPTP met for bargaining today and will meet again tomorrow.” They expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity and support received in recent days and encouraged as many members as possible to participate in the picket lines.
On September 24, the WGA officially announced that they had achieved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP. While the exact contractual language is in the process of finalization, the guild hailed the deal as “exceptional,” citing substantial advantages and safeguards for writers. The completion of the Memorandum of Agreement with the AMPTP marks a critical milestone, paving the way for the negotiating committee to submit it to union members for ratification. Members will have the opportunity to cast their votes on the contract’s ratification from October 2 to October 9.
Writers will benefit from a substantial increase in their minimum weekly pay, exceeding 12%. In addition to these pay hikes, various projects will see a considerable boost in residual payments, further enhancing the financial prospects for writers. For instance, feature-length projects designed for streaming platforms with substantial budgets will enjoy a remarkable 26% increase in the base residuals allocated to writers. The scope of improvement extends even further for foreign content, where residuals could potentially soar as high as 76% throughout the contract’s lifespan, as reported by the WGA. Beyond financial considerations, the tentative deal also addresses the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the realm of writing. It stipulates that AI cannot autonomously create or revise literary material in line with the WGA’s outlined guidelines. However, it affords writers the option to utilize AI tools if the studio grants consent, making it a voluntary choice rather than a mandate. It’s worth noting that the agreement does not prohibit studios from employing AI to assist in their work, potentially using writers’ content as part of the training process.
The advent of streaming platforms has ushered in a new era of content consumption, characterized by shorter series, often consisting of just six episodes. While this format has its merits, it has led to a reduction in the number of writers assigned to a project and the duration of their employment. To address these evolving working conditions, the tentative contract establishes minimum standards. For instance, a series comprising six episodes or fewer must employ a minimum of six writing-related personnel, ensuring that the workload is reasonably distributed. Conversely, a series with 13 or more episodes must have a minimum of nine writing-related workers involved in the project. To provide writers with greater job security, the agreement guarantees a minimum of 10 weeks of employment in “development rooms” during a project’s initial phase and at least 20 weeks of work if they are part of the “post-greenlight” writers’ room, providing them with a more stable foundation in the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry.
Following the strike’s announcement, Laura Jacqmin returned to The New Yorker Radio Hour to discuss the demands of the WGA and her experience as a strike captain. She stated, “…when it actually broke, I got the news eight minutes sooner than the general membership. Captains got an email at 7:04 p.m. last night, Pacific time, from [the senior director of member organizing] Ann Farriday at the guild. And I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it.”
