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My name is Bradley Gammel, and I'm an avid gamer and lover of cinema. My academic background features an English degree from Oklahoma State, and I am attending Pittsburgh State University as an MBA student.
Today, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) negotiated with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP) and ended with the WGA going on strike. Hollywood is made up primarily of unions, and this strike is not the first. Still, it is one that will impact Hollywood. More importantly, it will affect the television programming we watch. The last major strike was the 100-day-long Writers Strike of 2007-08, which say the guild actively walked out, haunting production on many movies and shows. The guild leadership has this to say to their members:
Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal – and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains – the studios’ responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing. We must now exert the maximum leverage possible to get a fair contract by withholding our labor. Members of the Negotiating Committee, Board, and Council will be with you on the picket lines.
The Writers Guild of America
This news comes after the WGA and AMPTP met Monday afternoon to strike a deal for better pay for writers. Due to the rise of streaming content and the high demand for streaming, the former negotiation from fifteen years ago was readdressed. Ultimately, it ended with a strike starting effectively on May 2, 2023, at 12:01 am in the Easter Standard Timezone (EST).
The Official Writers Guild of America Statement
The Writers Guild of America made a public statement after the meeting concluded that stated:
Following the unanimous recommendation of the WGA Negotiating Committee, the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Council of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 am, Tuesday, May 2.
The decision was made following six weeks of negotiations with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal, but the studios’ responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing.
The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a “day rate” in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.
Picketing will begin tomorrow afternoon.
The Writers Guild of America
What Happens Next?
Beginning on May 2, 2023, the Los Angeles pickets will start at 1 pm PT. The Writers Guild has already stated the location of the first strikes. The strike will occur outside of Netflix’s Hollywood office and spread to other major studios and networks.
Then on May 3rd, members of the Writers Guild can attend an information session at Shrine Auditorium. All this happens after late-night talk shows immediately shut down alongside writer rooms across the industry. All major productions are at a standstill—leading to agents and producers meeting with writers to make last-minute deals before 12:01 am EST.
Although the strike means bad news for both writers and viewers, luckily, the Writers Guild sets aside money for members in case of strikes. In the last report from March 2022, the WGA had $19.8 million set aside to help give financial aid to members during a potential strike.
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Source: Deadline
My name is Bradley Gammel, and I'm an avid gamer and lover of cinema. My academic background features an English degree from Oklahoma State, and I am attending Pittsburgh State University as an MBA student.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.