SAG-AFTRA cast and Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers walk the picket line during their ongoing strike outside Netflix, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 31, 2023. Photo by Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
Striking Hollywood writers and major studios agreed to hold talks on Friday for the first time since they began their strike for higher wage demands in May, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced Tuesday.
The Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) has contacted the WGA and requested a meeting, the WGA’s negotiating committee told its members in a statement shared with Reuters.
“We will contact you again sometime after the meeting with further information,” the committee told its members in its memo.
AMPTP negotiates on behalf of Walt Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and other studios.
An AMPTP spokesman told Reuters the alliance was committed to finding a mutually beneficial deal, without giving further details.
The strike by about 11,500 screenwriters has led to late-night shows canceling new episodes, disrupting most production for the fall TV season, and halting work on big-budget movies.
Hollywood actors joined writers on the picket lines in July as they also demanded higher pay in the age of streaming and restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence.
Entertainment website Deadline reported on Tuesday that the WGA and the studios are close to making a breakthrough in talks.
