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It's Official - The Writers Strike is Over!

by Alex Billington
February 12, 2008
Source: Variety

On Saturday, news had leaked out that writers strike was very close to ending, and now official word has come from the Writers Guild of America - the writers strike is over! The WGA held a vote over the last day and as of 7PM on Tuesday, the vote to end the strike had passed with a 92.5% endorsement rate. After exactly 100 days the strike has finally officially ended, the writers and producers have resolved their issues with a new tentative deal that lasts until 2011, and everyone in Hollywood can finally get back to work on all of our beloved TV shows and movies.

Here is the official press release put out by the Writers Guild of America and presented by WGAW president Patric M. Verrone and WGAE president Michael Winship.

The membership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today voted overwhelmingly in favor of lifting the restraining order and ending their 100-day strike that began on Nov. 5. 3,775 writers turned out in Los Angeles and New York to cast ballots or fax in proxies, with 92.5% voting in favor of ending the work stoppage.

"The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work," said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. "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," said Michael Winship, 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."

The WGA reached a deal on Saturday morning with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and held a vote over 48-hours throughout Monday and Tuesday. 3,775 ballots were cast in Los Angeles and New York and with an overwhelming 92.5% agreeing to put an end to this, the strike has concluded. Patric Verrone said that WGA members should go back to work immediately starting on Wednesday and noted that writers involved with the Oscars were already at work on Tuesday night.

As for the status of all of the TV shows that did not air or did not finish their season, we cannot comment and don't have an update. Even we don't know what's going on with everything or when or how they'll be back, but at least know that the strike has ended and everything in Hollywood can finally get moving again. I only hope that the strike hasn't affected the progress of too many projects and that all of the films that we have been waiting to see in the next few years will still be completed on time.

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