LOS ANGELES — Leaders of the Writers Guild of America could decide as early as Tuesday, Sept. 26, whether to accept the terms of a tentative labor deal with Hollywood studios and send the proposal to the union’s membership for ratification.
The boards of the WGA West and East branches could also decide as early as Tuesday whether to officially end the strike that began May 2, clearing the way for writers to resume working while the ratification vote is pending.
“This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval,” according to a message sent by the WGA negotiating committee to the union’s 11,500 members Sunday night when the tentative agreement was announced.
“… To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.”
The WGA announced the tentative deal Sunday night, following five consecutive days of meetings with leaders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios. No details of the three-year pact have been released, with the guild telling its members such details would be provided once it is vetted fully and put into final contract language by the negotiating committee, then approved by leaders of the WGA West and East branches.
“What we have won in this contract — most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd — is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days,” WGA negotiating team members wrote in a message to union members Sunday night. “It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of…
Read the full article here