The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are reportedly at or near a deal in the ongoing contract negotiations, after extending talks past the existing deadline of midnight.
Shortly after 12:30 A.M., several reporters and individual TV writers said that the negotiations had resolved, although there was no official statement from the WGA or producers, and neither responded to requests for comment.
I'm hearing from reliable WGA sources we have a deal. #WGAUnity
— Henry Alonso Myers (@alonsomyers) May 2, 2017
Source says WGA deal is done #writersstrike
— Brooks Barnes (@brooksbarnesNYT) May 2, 2017
Okay, I'm hearing from one reliable source that there may be a deal. Stay tuned… #WGAUnity
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) May 2, 2017
WGA and AMPTP began negotiating a new contract in early March, but those talks were discontinued March 24 when agreement could not be reached, and the WGA’s negotiating committee called for a strike authorization vote. On April 25, members overwhelmingly voted in favor of striking if an agreement cannot be reached, and the WGA returned to the negotiating table the same day.
Among other WGA demands are stronger economic and workplace protections, and paid family leave for writers.
Extensions of talks in labor negotiations are common — In 2014 for instance, SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood producers agreed to a 24-hour extension less than an hour before the existing pact ran out in order to prolong negotiations and avoid a strike.
More to come…