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The Writers Guild of America Strike Comes to an End

By: Anna Altheide

Posted: 2/25/08

By Anna Altheide

Members of the Writers Guild of America, West and Writers Guild of America, East voted 92.5% in favor of ending the strike on Monday, February 17, 2008. Writers are expected return to work immediately.

Patric M. Verrone, president of Writers Guild of America, East, told the press in an official statement by the WGA, "The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work." He added, "This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet."

With their new contract, Guild members will receive what they consider a "foothold in the digital age," according to Verrone. As of now, details are still minimal on the provisions of their new contract. However, productions of widely watched primetime hits, including NBC's The Office and ABC's Grey's Anatomy, will air new episodes in April and May.

The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East will vote again on February 25, 2008 in an act to ratify their three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. As such a large margin voted in favor of ending the strike, most see it as "done deal" despite formalities.

The strike began November 5, 2007 in an argument over Internet and DVD residuals, consequently shutting down movie and television productions.

According to the New York Times, over 12,000 Guild members and tens of thousands of industry staff and workers were out of the job, with $285 million lost in writers' wages and an additional $500 million in film unions.

The 1988 Writers Guild of America strike dealt with the same argument and lasted from March 7 to August 7, 1988. According to the Los Angeles Times, several shows never recovered, including Moon-lighting, which starred Bruce Willis, and Kate & Allie, which was in its sixth season.

Funnyman David Letterman reached a deal with the WGA in early January through his television production company Worldwide Pants, while other late night moguls such as Conan O'Brien, Steven Col-bert, and Jay Leno went on the air without writers.

The Golden Globes also took a beating. According to People Magazine, less than 4.8 million people tuned in, compared to 16 million last year.

For more information on the WGA, visit www.wga.org.