The Big Picture After 148 days of demanding better rights for workers from across the film industry, the Writers Guild of America announced the official end of the strike last night. A tentative deal was reached earlier this week, and with the announcement of the strike's conclusion, the specifics of the new agreement between the studios and the guild have finally been revealed, and they are historic.
While AMPTP originally rejected and refused to counter a number of the requests made by the WGA at the start of the strike, the writers have secured almost every single one of their requests, which proves that collective bargaining can indeed work. The 7-page outline delivered by the WGA clearly showcases the evolution of their requests between the initial offer in May and the tentative agreement reached over the weekend.
The new deal will regulate the use of artificial intelligence on MBA-covered projects, clearly stating that AI-generated written material cannot be considered literary material, source material, or assigned under the MBA. It goes on to state that AI is not a writer under the MBA, though actual writers can elect to use AI to perform writing services if the company consents to it, though they can't require writers to use AI software.
The SAG-AFTRA Strike Continues The WGA may have come to an agreement with AMPTP, but SAG-AFTRA's strike continues, and the writers plan to stand in solidarity with their union siblings until a fair and equitable deal is reached for them as well. With the historic deal made with AMPTP, it seems likely that SAG-AFTRA may reach a similar agreement with the studios, but it may take a little more time.