The strike is finally over! More than 90% of the 3,775 members of the Writers Guild, who cast ballots in California and New York voted to immediately end the strike. Ratification of the new contract is expected on February 25th with an interum back to work order.
The walkout that began Oct. 31st, was far more damaging than the studios expected. The negative economic impact included shutting down over 60 TV shows, hampering ratings, and depriving broadcasters of millions in advertising revenue.
"They successfully faced down six multinational media conglomerates and established a beachhead on the Internet," said Jonathan Handel, former associate counsel for the Writers Guild of America, West and an attorney at TroyGould. "When you consider what they were initially offered and the enormous odds they faced, that's quite an achievement."
