Writers sign off on new contract

Writers Guild of America members overwhelmingly approved a new three-year contract Tuesday, officially ending a labor dispute that resulted in Hollywood’s biggest strike in two decades.

More than 90% of the 4,060 members who cast ballots in Los Angeles and New York voted in favor of ratifying the contract, a show of support that was widely anticipated after guild leaders touted the pact as a landmark agreement.

“This contract is a new beginning for writers in the digital age,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.

The ratification comes two weeks after writers voted to end a 100-day strike that shut down more than 60 television shows and put thousands of people out of work.

In a statement, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said: “Now that our industry is back in business, our goal is to collaborate with everyone . . . to produce the highest-quality entertainment products without any further interruption.”

Modeled on a pact negotiated between directors and studios last month, the new WGA contract gives writers a larger stake in the revenue generated when their movies, television shows and other creative works are distributed online.

The contract doubles the rate that writers are paid for movies and TV shows sold online, establishes the union’s jurisdiction over programming created for the Internet (above certain budgets) and secures payments for entertainment streamed for free on websites.

Writers previously received nothing when hit TV shows were streamed for free on network websites, fueling much of the tension that sparked the Nov. 5 walkout.

Additionally, writers will receive a 3.0% to 3.5% increase in minimum pay rates for television and film work, and so-called “separated rights” provisions that guarantee extra pay and credit for Web programs that migrate to other formats.

Some writers, however, are unhappy with the contract, which retroactively takes effect Feb. 13 and runs through May 1, 2011. Among other things, they complain that it exempts low-budget Internet shows from union coverage and gives networks too long a promotional window for streaming shows online before residual payments kick in for writers.

--

[email protected]