The two sides’ enthusiasm for the contract were on show in how they talked — or didn’t talk — about it. The guild negotiating committee heralded it as a success, telling its 11,000 members in an email that the deal was “exceptional — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.” The studios, notably, said nothing on the matter.
What happens next?
Various leadership boards of the Writers Guild are set to vote on whether to approve the contract on Tuesday. If it is approved, the 11,000 or so writers who are members of the guild will then vote to ratify the contract.
After the deal was reached, the guild’s leaders told members that all picketing was now suspended, but warned them not to return to work until the contract was formalized.
Writers may resume work relatively quickly. If union leadership approves the deal, they will also vote whether to end the strike — while the rank-and-file vote is still underway. “This would allow writers to return to work during the ratification vote, but would not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval,” Writers Guild leaders said.
Most television shows and movies will be unable to resume work because actors are still striking. But writers rooms of late-night and daytime talk shows could be back in business soon, potentially bringing relief to one corner of an industry that has been thrown into turmoil.
