Negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP have ended for the day on Saturday with the studios offering the Writers Guild what a source has described as their latest, best, and final offer, and which the WGA will now review. It’s expected that the guild will respond by tomorrow ahead of the Jewish holiday beginning at sundown on Sunday.
After three straight days of talks in which top Hollywood CEOs were in the room, both sides on Saturday brought in lawyers to finalize deal language on a new, three-year contract, considered the last step and the home stretch in negotiations. On Saturday, just two major deal points remained unsettled, with some reports suggesting that contract specifics around AI protections were among the sticking points.
A source told IndieWire the expectation was that a deal should get done before the start of Yom Kippur, but the WGA and AMPTP will meet again on Sunday when the WGA is expected to respond to the studios’ latest offer.
“The WGA and AMPTP met for bargaining on Saturday and will meet again on Sunday,” the two sides said late Saturday in a joint statement.
Specifics of the deal have not been publicized, but multiple media reports have suggested that the studios have made strides in areas pertaining to residuals, minimum staffing, AI, and data transparency, all key facets of the Writers Guild agenda.
Should the WGA’s negotiating committee approve the deal, it will go to the WGA East and West boards for approval before being sent to membership to ratify, along with the guild calling a vote among members to lift the strike.
If the WGA does not accept the latest studio offer, the two sides will have to return to the negotiating table, and it’s unclear when formal negotiations would resume or when a deal could be reached.
Saturday marks the 145th day of the strike, which began on May 2. The longest strike in guild history lasted 153 days back in 1988. If a deal is reached, all eyes will then turn to the actors and SAG-AFTRA, which has been on strike since July 14.
Additional reporting by Tony Maglio
