The agreement had already ended a 148-day strike in the American entertainment industry two weeks ago. The new collective labor agreement provides higher compensation for the writers of series and films offered on streaming services. The agreement also includes rules for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in generating ideas and material.
The screenwriters returned to work two weeks ago, after the WGA leadership accepted the agreement. The final step was ratification – or rejection – by the union’s members. If they had refused the agreement, the strike would have continued.
“Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful benefits and protections for writers across our industries,” said a statement from Meredith Stiehm, president of WGA West. “Together we have managed to achieve something that many would have called impossible just six months ago.” After negotiations had been at a standstill for months, a few weeks ago the CEOs of Netflix, among others, sat down to talk to the negotiating committee of the screenwriters’ union. A deal was then struck quite quickly.
The writers’ strike gained new impetus in July when actors also stopped work. They are still on strike. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA is now negotiating again with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios and streaming services, about, among other things, better pay and guarantees regarding AI. The actors fear that AI will be used to take over their voices and appearance without compensation.
2023-10-10 01:43:36
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