On Wednesday, the nearly five-month-long strike by Hollywood writers will come to an end at midnight Pacific time (07:01 GMT).
In a statement, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said that union officials “voted unanimously to lift the restraining order and end the strike“.
The organization’s 11,500 members will then decide whether to ratify a three-year agreement that provides pay increases and safeguards regarding the use of artificial intelligence.
Actors, who are also on strike, are the subject of a separate dispute.
The writers’ strike, which started on 2 May and was joined by SAG members on 13 July, has been affecting Hollywood for the longest period of time in many years. They were striking in a row over pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry.
According to an estimate from Milken Institute economist Kevin Klowden, it has cost the US economy about $5 billion (£4.08bn).
Many of the most popular shows in America have been shut down due to the dispute, including Billions, The Handmaid’s Tale, Hacks, Severance, Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Stranger Things, Abbott Elementary, and numerous daytime and late-night talk shows.
Bill Maher, the host of HBO’s “Real Time,” announced on social media that new episodes would begin airing starting on Friday, so some of them can now return to the air.
Screenwriters said earlier this week that they had reached a tentative deal with studio executives, but no further information was provided.
The actors’ union, which went on strike in July, is still on strike, so Hollywood is not back to business as usual with the WGA strike over.
Actors want better pay, working conditions, and health and pension benefits, just like writers do.
They are also keen to establishing guidelines for the use of AI in upcoming television and film productions.
SAG-AFTRA may use the WGA’s success as a model when negotiating its own contract with Hollywood studios.
Source-BBC
