Hollywood’s strikes are over – The Verge

The Screen Actors Guild’s strike-ending deal has entered its final step

2023-11-11T13:24:17-05:00

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) reached a tentative deal with Hollywood studio executives, effectively ending the 118-day actors strike. Yesterday, SAG-AFTRA announced that its national board has approved the agreement, 86 percent to 14 percent, and recommended union members vote to ratify it.

The deal is still technically pending until union members' vote is tallied on December 5th, though the guild says some of its features will go into effect during the ratification process, such as certain pay raises. SAG-AFTRA offered a summary of the deal in its announcement:

Streaming revenue: R …

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Hollywood actors reach tentative deal to end their strike

2023-11-08T20:15:40-05:00

Hollywood actors may soon be back to work. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have approved a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) - the trade association representing Hollywood studios - to end their strike.

"In a unanimous vote this afternoon, The SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP bringing an end to the 118 day strike," SAG-AFTRA said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. "The strike officially ends at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, November 9."

"In a contract valued at over one billion dollars, we …

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SAG-AFTRA’s strike continues after last round of contract talks breaks down

2023-10-12T10:54:08-04:00

In the wake of the Writers Guild of America finally winning and ratifying a new labor contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) after 146 days of striking, there was some hope that the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists - which has also been on strike - might be able to do the same. But despite SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP meeting earlier this week to resume contract negotiations, the talks have already hit a big stumbling point.

(Disclosure: The Verge's editorial staff is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.)

On Wednesday evening, the AMPTP released a …

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WGA’s new labor contract is finally a sealed deal

2023-10-10T12:07:15-04:00

It still remains to be seen just how Hollywood's most recent writers strike is ultimately going to change the shape of the industry, but after a lengthy and hard-fought battle for better working conditions, the Writers Guild of America finally has a new labor contract that an overwhelming majority of its members are ready to make official.

(Disclosure: The Verge's editorial staff is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.)

Per The Hollywood Reporter, an astonishing 99 percent - 8,435 out of 8,525 of the ballots cast - of WGA members voted to authorize the new deal with the AMPTP, which will determine how writers are compens …

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Netflix is planning to raise prices… again

2023-10-03T10:47:54-04:00

Netflix is planning to increase the cost of its streaming service yet again, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The streamer will reportedly issue the price hike a "few months" after the Hollywood actors strike ends, which could happen in the coming weeks.

As reported by the WSJ, Netflix will raise prices in "several markets globally," starting with the US and Canada. It's still not clear how much Netflix will raise prices, and Netflix declined to comment. Netflix raised prices across all of its plans last year, bringing the ad-free Standard tier to $15.49 / month and the Premium plan to $19.99 / month. The company also rol …

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These are the biggest wins in the WGA’s new labor contract

2023-09-30T11:30:00-04:00

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening draws strike sign collectibles for picketers. | Image: Brittany Woodside / The Writers Guild of America

After months of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers insisting that there was nothing it could do to bring the Writers Guild of America's labor strike to an end (aside from threatening to financially ruin people and trying to hire scabs while controlling messaging through PR firms) Hollywood's studios finally caved this week by agreeing to a new contract.

(Disclosure: The Verge's editorial staff is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.)

The WGA made it crystal clear from the jump that its members were ready for the fight of their lives in pursuit of a new minimum basic agreement - the official guidelin …

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The new WGA contract will change how Hollywood works

2023-09-26T21:36:36-04:00

As of midnight, the Writers Guild of America will no longer be picketing. Instead, members of the union will be poring over new details on the contract negotiated with the AMPTP and deciding whether they will vote to ratify this new contract.

(Disclosure: The Verge's editorial staff is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.)

The WGA dropped a summary of the contract tonight and it's historic. The flashiest wins for the WGA are around pay increases and artificial intelligence. The pay increases are significant across the board, with notable increases for "high budget subscription video on demand" (think Netflix) and streami …

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The Writers Guild of America’s strike is over

2023-09-26T21:13:16-04:00

After a nearly five-month-long strike, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is telling its members to lower their picket signs. In a post, the WGA said its Negotiating Committee, WGAW Board, and WGAE Council all voted unanimously to recommend the three-year agreement reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. They will end their strike at 12:01AM PM on Wednesday, sending writers back to work, with a ratification vote scheduled for between October 2nd and October 9th.

A summary explaining terms of the deal has been posted so that we can see details of their agreement for the first time, as well as the 94-page deal (e …

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Hollywood writers reach tentative deal to end the strike

2023-09-24T22:45:59-04:00

The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2nd. | Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images

The Hollywood writers strike may be close to an end. After a more than 140-day work stoppage, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced on Sunday night that it reached a "tentative agreement" with major Hollywood studios on pay, working conditions, and more.

"We can say, with great pride, that this is an exceptional deal - with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership," the WGA negotiating committee wrote in an email to members.

WGA leadership said details of the agreement couldn't be shared until its language is finalized; after that, writers will have to vote to approve the deal. The guild said it …

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Hollywood’s writers strike might come to an end soon

2023-09-21T00:38:00-04:00

Well-connected CNBC anchor David Faber cites people close to negotiations between the major Hollywood studio producers and striking writers, saying the sides "hope" to finalize a new deal tomorrow. The WGA strike began in early May before the actors (SAG-AFTRA) also went on strike in mid-July, marking the first time that has happened in 63 years.

They cited some similar issues in trying to protect members' livelihoods as streaming entertainment grows and as studios begin to use generative AI tools in the entertainment business.

After face to face meeting today, writers and producers near agreement to end WGA strike. Met today and hope to f …

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