After 92 days of strike, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) are set to reopen negotiations.
Carol Lombardini, president of AMPTP, reached out to the WGA leadership to request a meeting to discuss restarting contract negotiations, which have been on pause since the writers’ strike began on May 1. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday.
While the meeting doesn’t guarantee immediate resumption of talks, it indicates a positive shift in the situation after a three-month work stoppage. The WGA, along with SAG-AFTRA, has been actively fighting for better working conditions for writers and other industry workers.
Deadline reports that major studios will meet with representatives of the Writers Guild of America on Friday to initiate discussions on a potential deal that could end the ongoing strike. The focus remains on securing improved wages and protections against artificial intelligence for workers in the film and television industry.
The strike has put a halt on production for major films and television series, leaving the entertainment industry in uncertainty. The resolution of the strike is still uncertain, and the length of the negotiations remains unclear.
“They will come back to us,” said WGA negotiating committee co-chair Chris Keyser, expressing confidence that negotiations would eventually resume. Predictions about the strike’s end have varied, with some guessing it could be as early as fall, while others suggest it might extend into early next year.
In the early stages of the strike, the writers appeared to be fighting alone, but the situation changed when SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 actor and performer members, also decided to go on strike on July 13. This move significantly increased pressure on the studios to return to the negotiating table.
As the meeting between the WGA and AMPTP approaches, both parties hope to find common ground and pave the way for a resolution that will benefit all industry stakeholders.
