Writers reacted with relief after the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative deal with studios and streamers, avoiding the kind of last-minute standoff that led to a prolonged strike in 2023.
"I think everyone's very relieved," showrunner David H. Steinberg ("No Good Nick") told The Hollywood Reporter. "It sort of came out of the blue that all of a sudden a tentative agreement had been reached and all the writers that I talked to on social media were like, ‘Thank God.'"
That reaction has been common across the guild, according to The Hollywood Reporter, even as members wait for more details.
After the 148-day strike in 2023, many writers appeared wary of another labor fight.
One source told The Hollywood Reporter about some unease in group chats concerning how quickly the deal came together, but another said most writers seemed "relieved."
The source said that they were "largely cynical and checked out" compared with the high engagement seen in the last negotiation cycle.
"We're obviously still waiting on the details but anything that calms the industry down is the most important thing in my book," member Geoff Roth wrote in a message. "The whole business needs to walk back from this existential cliff we're constantly being told about, as it's becoming self-fulfilling."
The union has not released full contract language.
So far, it said the agreement would run for four years instead of the usual three and includes provisions that "protect our health plan" through higher contributions and caps, while building on gains from 2023 and addressing unpaid work.
The longer contract term has raised concerns given rapid changes in the industry, including consolidation, cost-cutting and the rise of generative AI.
"The extra year on the term is a bit of a bitter pill given the rapid pace of AI evolution but it was a necessary — and quite predictable — trade-off to save the health fund," "Arrow" showrunner Marc Guggenheim wrote in a text. "This is kinda where I assumed we'd end up."
Concerns about the union's benefits shaped the talks.
The WGA's health fund lost $122 million across fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
"The contraction in work put a lot of stress on our fund because fewer writers working means decreased contributions coming into the plan," WGA president Michele Mulroney previously said.
Those financial pressures reflect broader shifts in the business, with fewer writing jobs compared with the "Peak TV" era, when streamers prioritized growth over profit.
The pace of negotiations also marked a change.
The WGA reached a tentative deal within its initial three-week bargaining window and did not take a strike authorization vote.
The union was led by chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman, co-chairs John August and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel and Mulroney, while studios were represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers led by Gregory Hessinger.
The four-year term could affect alignment with SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America, which typically negotiate in the same cycle.
Steinberg acknowledged that concern but downplayed it.
"I'm aware of what the issue is, that you want to be aligned with the other deals to bring pressure if you need to," he said. "Four years seems like a great compromise."
For many writers, this deal is about stability.
"The Writers Guild made it clear that the priority going into the negotiations was to shore up the pension and health funds," Steinberg said. "So mission accomplished, I guess."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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