In the words of the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, “Hey everybody, we're all gonna get laid!”
I don't know if that quote really applies here, but in my mind it fits. Everyone in Hollywood is breathing a sigh of relief this evening, as the members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have voted to accept the deal proposed by the AMPTP, thus ending the now over 3 month old strike.
In a statement made today by WGA leadership, the guild had this to say:
On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over.
Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not employed at an office or other work site, call or e-mail your employer that you are resuming work. If you have been told not to report to work or resume your services, we recommend that you still notify your employer in writing of your availability to do so. Questions concerning return-to-work issues should be directed to the WGAW legal department or the WGAE's assistant executive director.
The decision to begin this strike was not taken lightly and was only made after no other reasonable alternative was possible. We are profoundly aware of the economic loss these fourteen weeks have created not only for our members but so many other colleagues who work in the television and motion picture industries. Nonetheless, with the establishment of the WGA jurisdiction over new media and residual formulas based on distributor's gross revenue (among other gains) we are confident that the results are a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future.
We hope to build upon the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and solidarity that were generated by your hard work during the strike.
Over the next weeks and months, we will be in touch with you to discuss and develop ways we can use our unprecedented unity to make our two guilds stronger and more effective than ever.
Now that the strike has ended, there remains the vote to ratify the new contract. Ballots and information on the new deal, both pro and con, will be mailed to you shortly. You will be able to return those ballots via mail or at a membership meeting to be held Monday, February 25th, 2008, at times and locations to be determined.
Thank you for making it possible. As ever, we are all in this together.
Best,
Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW
Michael Winship
President, WGAE
So there you have it, the end of the strike is finally here. Having covered so much of the strike, I feel as if its end was anticlimactic compared to the fury of it's beginning. But then again, all the writers have been off work for a while — there was no one around to write an exciting, nail-biting ending. Oh well, maybe they can pen up something for that SAG strike that could happen later this year…The WGA Strike is Officially Over!
In the words of the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, “Hey everybody, we're all gonna get laid!”
I don't know if that quote really applies here, but in my mind it fits. Everyone in Hollywood is breathing a sigh of relief this evening, as the members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have voted to accept the deal proposed by the AMPTP, thus ending the now over 3 month old strike.
In a statement made today by WGA leadership, the guild had this to say:
On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over.
Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not employed at an office or other work site, call or e-mail your employer that you are resuming work. If you have been told not to report to work or resume your services, we recommend that you still notify your employer in writing of your availability to do so. Questions concerning return-to-work issues should be directed to the WGAW legal department or the WGAE's assistant executive director.
The decision to begin this strike was not taken lightly and was only made after no other reasonable alternative was possible. We are profoundly aware of the economic loss these fourteen weeks have created not only for our members but so many other colleagues who work in the television and motion picture industries. Nonetheless, with the establishment of the WGA jurisdiction over new media and residual formulas based on distributor's gross revenue (among other gains) we are confident that the results are a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future.
We hope to build upon the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and solidarity that were generated by your hard work during the strike.
Over the next weeks and months, we will be in touch with you to discuss and develop ways we can use our unprecedented unity to make our two guilds stronger and more effective than ever.
Now that the strike has ended, there remains the vote to ratify the new contract. Ballots and information on the new deal, both pro and con, will be mailed to you shortly. You will be able to return those ballots via mail or at a membership meeting to be held Monday, February 25th, 2008, at times and locations to be determined.
Thank you for making it possible. As ever, we are all in this together.
Best,
Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW
Michael Winship
President, WGAE
So there you have it, the end of the strike is finally here. Having covered so much of the strike, I feel as if its end was anticlimactic compared to the fury of it's beginning. But then again, all the writers have been off work for a while — there was no one around to write an exciting, nail-biting ending. Oh well, maybe they can pen up something for that SAG strike that could happen later this year…
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