Writers' strike in US over

US: Film and television writers have voted decisively to end their 100-day-old strike against major studios and began to return to work yesterday, formally ending the worst union dispute to hit Hollywood in 20 years.

The outcome, while not unexpected, was greeted with relief by an entertainment community shaken for months by rancour and uncertainty, especially in the TV industry where thousands of production workers ended up laid off because of the strike.

The writers will vote later on a proposed three-year contract, which provides new payments to writers for work streamed on the internet and doubles rates they earn for films and TV shows resold as internet downloads. It also extends the union's contract to cover made-for-web content.

The back-to-work order was approved by 92.5 per cent of the Writers Guild of America members who cast ballots in Los Angeles and New York two days after union leaders voted to endorse their contract settlement with the studios.

Compensating writers for work in new media proved to be the main sticking point in the confrontation between WGA leaders and the eight major entertainment companies represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Last month, the companies reached a deal with Hollywood directors, which helped writers and studios overcome a lengthy stalemate.

The potential for further unrest still hangs over Hollywood. The Screen Actors Guild, which represents 120,000 film and TV performers, sees its contract with the studios come up for renewal in June.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times