The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has officially come to an end, just two days after the union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). WGA leaders voted unanimously on Tuesday to authorize its members to return to work, thus ending the strike after an astounding 148 days.
“The WGAW Board and WGAE Council also voted to lift the restraining order and end the strike as of 12:01 am PT/3:01 am ET on Wednesday, September 27th,” the WGA wrote online. “This allows writers to return to work during the ratification process, but does not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval.”
The 94-page contract, which will expire in May 2026, includes pay increases, better health and pension contributions for writing teams, improved terms for screenwriter employment, stricter regulations for the use of artificial intelligence by studios and other major benefits. Read the full summary of the deal terms for the 2023 MBA here.
As for what’s next, the contract will soon go to the guilds’ memberships (both on the East and West coasts) for a ratification vote. The ratification vote will be held from Oct. 2 through Oct. 9. Per Variety, the contract “is expected to be easily ratified by strike-weary members,” who will be meeting in person and on Zoom to discuss the details of the contract.
