Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strike: News and updates

Hollywood’s historic writers’ strike has ended.

After almost five months of labor stoppage, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced that a long-awaited agreement had been reached. On September 26, union leadership said they had voted to end the strike and recommended their members to ratify the contract. The union’s membership will begin their vote on October 2.

SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) is still on strike. However, the WGA contract typically sets the template for Hollywood’s other trade unions so it is likely to guide SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining terms.

What have the Hollywood strikes been about? What the unions want are similar, largely driven by technology and changes in distribution. With less work on each job, due to shorter TV season length, and larger gaps between jobs, it’s harder for actors and writers to make a steady living. There’s also a looming concern over the role of AI in Hollywood.

The WGA strike was the longest and most costly in Hollywood history with profound economic consequences. As of August, the strikes have cost California’s economy an estimated $3 billion. This also has significant ramifications for the thousands of workers and businesses who depend on the entertainment industry.

Learn more from Vox for everything that led up to the historic strikes and what happens next.