LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Hollywood writers strike edged closer to a conclusion on Sunday after union leaders formally endorsed a new contract to settle the bitter three-month long dispute.
Writers Guild of America (WGA) board members in New York and Los Angeles approved a new contract and will now hold two ballots of members to end the most damaging US entertainment industry labor dispute in decades.
The first vote, to be held on Tuesday, will see the strike declared over, allowing writers to return to work on Wednesday. A second vote on the contract itself will be held within 10-14 days, union officials said.
"We're still on strike until that restraining order is lifted," said Patric Verrone, the WGA-West president, referring to Tuesday's vote.
Writers downed tools on November 5, a move that sent shockwaves through the industry, forcing the postponement or cancellation of several television shows and movies, and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Previous contract talks between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed the issue of payment for content broadcast free or bought over the Internet.
However a breakthrough in negotiations saw the WGA reach a tentative agreement with producers, and a proposed new deal was tabled to writers at meetings in New York and Los Angeles on Saturday.
Under the proposed three-year contract, the writers share of movies and televisions shows sold online would be doubled.
For content streamed free over the web, writers will get a fixed payment of 1,200 dollars per year for one-hour webcasts for the first two years, followed by two percent of any revenues earned by the distributor in the third year.
The deal received enthusiastic backing by WGA members who attended Saturday's meeting in Los Angeles.
"We should say yes to it and move on," said Craig Wright, creator of television series "Dirty Sexy Money." "I said yes to it already."
"Multiple, multiple standing ovations for the negotiating committee," said writer Peter Lance following the meeting.
"People were extremely relieved and satisfied," another writer James Bannon added. "It didn't please everyone, but I would say nine out of 10 people were extremely happy."
WGA West leader Verrone described the agreement as "the best deal the guild has bargained for in 30 years." while acknowledging "some holes."
Maverick film-maker Michael Moore described the deal as a pivotal moment in the history of US industrial disputes.
"This is an historic moment for labor in this country," the "Sicko" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" director told the Los Angeles Times.
"To have the writers union stand up like we did, not give back a single thing and make them give -- it was a really great moment."
The writers strike has been one of the longest and most damaging in the entertainment industry's history, with estimated losses ranging from 350 million to more than one billion dollars.
It has also severely disrupted Hollywood's annual awards season, leading to the cancellation of the Golden Globes awards after actors vowed to boycott the event, and casting a shadow over preparations for the February 24 Oscars.
WGA negotiating committee chairman John Bowman said Sunday he believed the Golden Globes cancellation had spurred senior studio chiefs to come to the negotiating table.
"We spent nearly three months with the studios' management, frankly getting nowhere," Bowman said. "I think what happened at the Golden Globes brought the CEOS to the table."
The entertainment industry's labor woes might not be over however: The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that actors have made increasingly militant noises ahead of negotiations to replace a contract that expires in June.
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