Writers Guild reaches tentative deal with studios to end strike

Union leaders on Sunday night suspended picket demonstrations nearly five months after about 11,000 TV and film writers walked off the job. The Writers Guild of America has been seeking higher pay, larger staff sizes, and stricter rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry. The terms of the agreement were not immediately known, and the guild’s board and members still need to ratify the deal before writers go back to work. A vote is scheduled for Tuesday. The guild negotiating committee said the deal provides meaningful gains and protections for its members.

Why is this strike historic? The agreement came as demonstrations approached the record for the longest strike in the guild’s history. Union leaders met for five days of negotiations with chief executives from Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal. A strike by Hollywood actors that began in July continues. 

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report in Muse about the start of the strike.