The Screenwriters Association and Hollywood studios have reached a surprise four-year tentative agreement after nearly three weeks of negotiations.The Writers Guild of America West said on X’s website that its negotiating committee unanimously approved a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios.The coalition confirmed the deal in a separate statement on its website on Saturday.“We look forward to building on this progress as we continue to work toward agreements that support long-term industry stability,” the coalition statement said.The exact terms of the deals were not immediately announced, but they are expected to include priorities for many writers such as better health care plans and more protections against artificial intelligence.The deal protects the writers’ health plan, builds on earnings from 2023, and “helps address the challenges of self-employment,” the guild said on X. The contract agreement, which is a year longer than a typical three-year deal, must be approved by the union’s council and members before it can be ratified.The surprise agreement came within weeks of negotiations, marking a stark contrast to contentious contract negotiations three years ago when Hollywood writers staged a historic strike that partially brought the industry to a halt.
The screenwriters voted almost unanimously to approve that agreement, which provided them with more compensation, employment time, and control over the artificial intelligence.The current contract was scheduled to expire in May.Studios have also been working on new deals with union leaders who represent actors and directors, whose contracts are set to expire at the end of June.Sean Astin, president of SAG-AFTRA, said in a February interview with The Associated Press that he saw signs that the studios wanted to “work as partners again.”
Hollywood actors will also leave their jobs for several months in 2023, demanding a better contract.The writers’ tentative agreement with the studios came as the Writers Guild of America West faces an ongoing strike by its own employee union that began in February.More than 100 people working in the legal, events and waste departments went on strike over allegations of unfair labor practices, according to the Los Angeles Times.It’s not clear how or whether the weeks-long strike will have an impact on the tentative deal with the studios. The union announced last month that it had canceled its annual awards ceremony due to an employee union strike.
