Writers Guild of America board votes to authorise members to go back to work

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Writers Guild of America leaders voted unanimously authorize their members to return work after a tentative agreement between union negotiators and Hollywood studios and streaming services, effectively ending a months-long strike that paralyzed the industry. "The WGAW Board and WGAE Council voted to lift restraining order and end the strike effective at 1201am PT301am ET on Wednesday, September 27th ," WGA said. "This allows writers return to work during the approval process, but does not affect the membership's right make a final decision on contract approval." Writers Guild of America strike has reached a temporary end. The tentative agreement reached earlier this week marks a turning point for Hollywood's film TV studios after the WGA and Sag-Aftra, the unions representing actors, went on strike this summer to fight for higher wages protections against artificial intelligence. The contract, which expires in May 2026, includes wage increases, better benefits, protections against studios' use of AI, compensation stream guarantees, longer terms of employment and other benefits. A summary of agreement by the WGA included AI protections "AI may not write or rewrite literary material," according to summary, which also noted a requirement that AI-generated materials must be disclosed to authors. Union members are allowed to return to work. The agreement also addressed streaming residuals and transparency for data around streaming. The rise of Netflix other such services over the years has helped transform Hollywood and has become a major issue in writers' actors' strikes. Although leadership has allowed union members to return to work, their contracts with studios have not yet been officially ratified, meaning members could still reject terms of deal and potentially extend a historic strike that has crippled many parts of U.S. entertainment industry. “Eligible voters will be able to vote from October 2 through October 9 and will receive ballots and certification materials when voting opens,” the union said. World Record Balloon Release Unexpected Turn The WGA officially began striking on May 2, making the strike one of the longest in its history. The current record was set in 1988 when the WGA struck for 154 days. The Hollywood strikes are costing more than $5 billion in economic impact nationwide, according to economists.