Hollywood Writers Return to Work

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK,
February 13: After voting overwhelmingly to end the strike yesterday, the
members of the Writers Guild of America were able to return to work today, as
the networks scramble to salvage what’s left of the current season.

At meetings yesterday,
3,775 writers turned out to cast their ballots or fax in proxies, with 92.5
percent voting to end the 100-day strike. Patric M. Verrone, the president of
the Writers Guild of America, West, said in a statement: “This was not a strike
we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish
appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet. Those
advances now give us a foothold in the digital age. Rather than being shut out
of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV
migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed.”

“The success of this
strike is a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire
creative community, now and in the future,” added Michael Winship, the
president of the Writers Guild of America, East. “The commitment and solidarity
of our members made it happen and have been an inspiration not only to us but
the entire organized labor movement. We will build on that energy and unity to
make our two unions stronger than ever.”

WGAW and WGAE members will
next vote to ratify the tentative three-year contract with the Alliance of
Motion Picture and Television Producers. The membership ratification vote will
be conducted by mail and also at membership meetings on February 25, 2008.

While writers are returning
to work this week, it is expected to take four to six weeks before the networks
start offering up new episodes of dramas and comedies. Many shows will not
return this spring, instead kicking off with new seasons in the fall.

—By Mansha Daswani