"The reason for this strike was to make sure we had coverage of the Internet, that it didn't become a guild-free zone, and I think we accomplished that," said Warren Leight, executive producer of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."
"I think some people will push for more. But it becomes one of those analyses: How much more can you get for how much more pain?" he said.
The tentative agreement also includes a doubling of the residual rate for movies and TV shows sold online and secures the union's jurisdiction over content created specifically for the Web, above certain budget thresholds. And like directors, writers would receive a 3.5% increase in minimum pay rates for television and film work.
"It is an agreement that protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery," the guild said in an e-mail to its members. "We believe that continuing to strike now will not bring sufficient gains to outweigh the potential risks and that the time has come to accept this contract and settle the strike."
Carmen Culver, a writer for movies and miniseries, called the agreement a complicated deal. "There were some parts I was very happy about and others less so," she said. "But I'm extremely proud of the guild for hanging tough. It's a great day for the labor movement. We have really stood up and said to these corporations that it all begins with the word. I think the big boys have been brought to their knees."
Filmmaker Michael Moore came out of the New York meeting substantially more enthusiastic than when he entered. "This is an historic moment for labor in this country," Moore said. "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."
john.horn@latimes.com
matea.gold@latimes.com
Times staff writer Maria Elena Fernandez contributed to this story.
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
How it stacks up
What they got:
A fixed residual payment of $1,200 a year for one-hour shows streamed online during the first two years of the contract. In the third year, a residual payment equal to 2% of the revenue received by the program's distributor.
Jurisdiction over shows that are created for the Web.
Doubling of the residual rate for movies and TV shows sold online.
A 3.5% annual increase in basic minimum pay for film and TV scripts.
What they didn't get:
