Your Favorite Shows Are Safe, The Writers Strike Has Been Avoided

05/02/2017 09:16 am EDT

Sound the alarms, call your families, sing the hallelujahs; the writers strike has officially been avoided! Let's take a moment to let that sink in.

Okay, moving on. The Writers Guild of America has set to stop working on May 2, if a new contract had not been reached. The WGA was calling for better compensation for its workers - They've seen a decrease in overall salaries over the past few years - as well as better healthcare benefits. The contract had to be worked out with the AMPTP, and the deal has been completed.

The tentative deal was reached just before the strike deadline, at midnight PT. Because of this contract, the strike of 2008 will not be repeated, and the industry can continue working.

The WGA negotiating committee released this statement after the deal had been reached, detailing some of the biggest points of the contract.

The will see a raise "in minimums across the board — as well as contribution increases to our Health Plan that should ensure its solvency for years to come. And we further expanded our protections in Options and Exclusivity.

"We also made unprecedented gains on the issue of short seasons in television, winning a definition (which has never before existed in our MBA) of 2.4 weeks of work for each episodic fee. Any work beyond that span will now require additional payment for hundreds of writer-producers.

"We won a 15% increase in Pay TV residuals, roughly $15 million in increases in High-Budget SVOD residuals, and, for the first time ever, residuals for comedy-variety writers in Pay TV.

"And, also for the first time ever, job protection on Parental Leave."

There will be another meeting on May 4, where the WGA negotiating committee will go over the entire agreement for its members.

This is a big day for the entire industry, as everyone leaves happy. The writers are employed, covered, and taken care of, and we can continue to enjoy our favorite shows and movies.

Today, everybody wins.

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Source: Deadline

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