After 146 days of picketing, the Writers Guild of America, which represents more than 11,500 Hollywood writers, said it has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with the studios on Sunday, effectively ending the nearly five-month walkout of Hollywood writers everywhere.
“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the WGA negotiating committee wrote in an email to its members.
Soon after the news broke, reactions from writers and performers in Hollywood started pouring in.
Mindy Kaling wrote in a post that appears to have been deleted, “TENTATIVE AGREEMENT B******! CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK TO WORK AND SEE MY PEOPLE!!!” alongside a thank you to the Writers Guild of America West and meme from her previous show, The Office, in which Steve Carell’s Michael Scott quipped, “I love my employees even though I hit one of you with my car.”
Kumail Nanjiani reacted, “Yes!!!! It’s been a tough five months (!) but we finally have a deal!!!”
The strike between screenwriters and studios including Walt Disney Co. and Netflix Inc began on 2 May this year. The writers went on strike for the first time since 2007 to fight for higher pay from streaming services, which have reshaped how TV is made and how talent gets paid. The Screen Actors Guild joined them in July over similar concerns.
