Writers' Strike Officially Ends as WGA Ratifies New Deal

The latest Writers Guild of America strike has drawn to a close. Monday, WGA officials announced union membership overwhelmingly voted in support of the guild's new deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. According to an e-mail distributed by top WGA brass, 99-percent of voters (8,435) voted in favor of the new deal, while just 90 voted against the deal.

"Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership," WGAW president Meredith Stiehm added in the message to members. "Together we were able to accomplish what many said was impossible only six months ago. We would not have been able to achieve this industry-changing contract without WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman, Negotiating Committee co-chairs Chris Keyser and David A. Goodman, the entire WGA Negotiating Committee, strike captains, lot coordinators, and the staff that supported every part of the negotiation and strike."

WGAE boss Lisa Takeuchi added, "Now it's time for the AMPTP to put the rest of the town back to work by negotiating a fair contract with our SAG-AFTRA siblings, who have supported writers throughout our negotiations. Until the studios make a deal that addresses the needs of performers, WGA members will be on the picket lines, walking side-by-side with SAG-AFTRA in solidarity."

The WGA strike ultimately lasted for 148 days before a new deal was announced between the WGA and AMPTP. Under the new deal, WGA members were able to get to work as the ratification votes were being cast. Picketing stopped at that point too.

Now the attention has been turned to SAG-AFTRA's ongoing disputes with the AMPTP, with the actors' guild now reaching 87 days as of this writing. Though the two sides went months without negotiating, it's been reported they've been meeting increasingly frequently in hopes of getting a deal done.

"To our fellow SAG-AFTRA Members: We have concluded today's bargaining with the AMPTP and will resume talks on Friday, October 6," reads the message from SAG-AFTRA. "The parties will be working internally over the weekend, resuming Monday, October 9. Please continue to come out to picket lines or other strike activities in your local. One day longer. One day stronger. As long as it takes."