US Writers’ Strike averted!

A looming US Writers’ Strike has been averted after a last minute deal was struck overnight.

The Writers’ Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year film and TV contract after the old contract expired at midnight in the US.

In a statement from the WGA negotiating committee the guild said writers made gains “in minimums across the board — as well as contribution increases to our Health Plan that should ensure its solvency for years to come. And we further expanded our protections in Options and Exclusivity.

“We also made unprecedented gains on the issue of short seasons in television, winning a definition (which has never before existed in our MBA) of 2.4 weeks of work for each episodic fee. Any work beyond that span will now require additional payment for hundreds of writer-producers.

“We won a 15% increase in Pay TV residuals, roughly $15 million in increases in High-Budget SVOD residuals, and, for the first time ever, residuals for comedy-variety writers in Pay TV.

“And, also for the first time ever, job protection on Parental Leave.”

The news comes after negotiations continued past the three-year film and TV contract’s midnight expiration.

It avoids another crippling strike which would have been disastrous for Hollywood, similar to one a decade ago (pictured).

The deal now goes to the WGA West’s board and the WGA East’s council for approval, and then to the guilds’ members for ratification.

However negotiations for a new SAG-AFTRA contract will get underway later this month.

Source: Deadline