Writers Guild Votes to End 100-Day Strike
By Adam Hetrick
13 Feb 2008
The Writers Guild of America voted Feb. 12 to end the strike that began Nov. 5 following a breakdown in talks between writers and producers over residuals from new media and Internet content.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, 3,775 ballots were cast Feb. 12 – with 92.5 percent in favor of ending the 100-day walk-out.
"We can now all get back to work, with the assurance that we have concluded two groundbreaking labor agreements - with our directors and our writers -- that establish a partnership through which our business can grow and prosper in the
new digital age," said the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers in a joint statement representing the chairmen and CEOs of the Fox Group, Paramount Pictures Corp., Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., CBS Corp., MGM and NBC Universal.
The vote follows the Feb. 9 announcement of a new contract that provided gains in residuals for writers in new media content (including Internet and cell-phones) as well as 3-3.5 percent annual pay raises. The WGA will vote Feb. 25 to determine the approval of the tentative three-year contract.
While the WGA was unable to procure gains in revenue for animation and reality television, the guild felt the tentative deal was in the best interest of the industry. Writers were informed to report to work Feb. 13 with the intent that production and filming will begin within several weeks.
The Nov. 5 writers' strike followed three months of negotiations between writers and producers. The previous WGA contract expired Oct. 31, 2007.
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