The shows will go on: final farewell to the writers’ strike
- posted: 26 Feb. 2008
- scrollarts@byui.edu
After 100 days of picketing, the writers’ strike has ended. Votes were cast by members of the Writers Guild of America, East and West, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in favor of removing the restraining order and bringing the over four-month-long strike to a productive close.
According to www.wga.org, the Writers Guild of America, East and West, represent writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable and new media industries in entertainment and news.
About 3,775 writers appeared in Los Angeles and New York to cast their ballots to determine whether they will return to work. There was an overwhelming 92.5 percent in favor of accepting and making new deals with producers.
Writers will now be able to return to work, bringing back new episodes of shows such as Gossip Girl, Lost and Grey’s Anatomy, instead of airing re-runs.
The final agreement is not yet official. Writers Guild of America, East and West, will vote once more on Feb. 25 to ratify a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. This will be done by mail and at membership meetings.
Under the new agreement — and what was partial cause of the strike — writers are demanding part of the profit obtained from their programs through sources of new media and the Internet.
“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,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.
For more information about the Writers Guild of America visit www.wga.org. 
