After 148 days of the strike, both the WGA West board and the WGA East council voted unanimously on Tuesday to end the strike at 12:01 a.m. PT on Wednesday. This decision came after reaching a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So, starting Wednesday, writers can return to work even before the final ratification vote.
The decision to end the strike was supported by unanimous votes from the WGA’s negotiating committee, the WGA West board, and the WGA East council, who have agreed to send the contract to members for ratification.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has shared the complete 94-page contract and a summary of the new terms as part of their recent agreement.
So what is the deal here?
AI cannot create or revise literary content, and AI-generated material will not be recognized as source material under the MBA. This means AI-generated content won’t affect a writer’s credit or rights.
A writer can choose to use AI for writing services if the company agrees, and as long as the writer follows company policies. However, companies cannot mandate the use of AI software, such as ChatGPT, for writing services.
Companies must inform writers if any materials provided have been generated by AI or include AI-generated content.
The WGA retains the right to assert that using writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by the MBA or other applicable laws.
The WGA stated that this deal is exceptional, with substantial benefits and protections for writers across all membership sectors.
However, WGA encouraged members to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines instead. SAG-AFTRA is currently picketing the AMPTP as part of their 75-day strike, waiting for their own negotiations to resume.