30 Rock. Breaking Bad. iCarly. Lost. Girlfriends. Bionic Woman. What do all these shows have in common? They were all affected during the writers’ strike of 2007-2008. Some of them were simply postponed, while others were outright cancelled. When the Writer’s Guild of America, I was very invested in seeing how this strike would go down. I was still a young kid during the 2007-2008 WGA strike, so I didn’t really comprehend what was at stake back then. However, now I feel this current strike has a lot on its shoulders. It stands to be a pivotal moment for the entertainment industry, and for the future of other strikes around the country.
The Beginning of the WGA Strike
On May 1, the contract between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writer’s Guild of America expired. So then on May 2, to no one’s surprise, the WGA went on strike for the first time in fifteen years. So far, they have been successful in keeping morale up, picketing outside of production sites, and shutting down productions at various sites.
What do the writers want?
Well, one is the ever-ongoing issue of pay. Overall, the WGA has found that the average pay for writers has declined 23% in the last decade. In addition, the increasing popularity of streaming has only made it more difficult for writers to be paid well and have a consistent flow of work.
What does that look like?
It looks like streaming production teams having smaller writer rooms which means employing fewer writers compared to traditional tv productions. The length of employment has also changed with writers being on a job for weeks at a time compared to months if it was the traditional TV job. In addition, writers are earning lower residual payments because streaming offers lower residuals.
Ultimately, streaming has undergone a massive change since 2007 when it was still in its infancy, so it only makes sense that the WGA is looking to change what writers should be paid for a show that is on streaming.
The WGA Strike & the Future of AI
One last sticking point for the WGA is the use of AI. It’s no secret that corporations are looking to use AI in a variety of ways to help bring costs down. This includes the entertainment industry. As it stands now, writers are afraid streaming companies will want to rely more on AI by using it to write scripts, thereby getting rid of writers entirely. These companies are already cutting down the number of writers they take on, so bringing in AI will make that number even smaller.
That said, the WGA is not expecting to outright ban the use of AI. Instead, they want AI to be a tool that writers can use. The purpose is to limit the role AI can have in the writing process. All of this is reasonable given many people’s fears that AI will leave a lot of people without a job. It’s natural that the WGA is trying to safeguard the jobs of its writers.
All of the WGA’s demands make sense. It all boils down to leveling the playing field when it comes to streaming. Streaming services have been able to amass a tremendous amount of wealth and popularity without having to pay writers their fair share.
The Power in A Strike
Since the WGA has gone on strike, other Los Angeles unions have spoken out in support. This includes UPS workers, teachers, hotel workers, and more. This writers’ strike has been a wonderful show of worker solidarity. However, it is in a very real sense, a test for the power of striking.
As a nation, we have not seen a strike so loud and in our face. Everywhere on social media, people can see writers speak out and spread information in a way that hasn’t been done before. I’m sure other unions are paying attention because the issues facing the WGA are issues every worker in any workforce can relate to. This is not to say that the future of workers’ rights stands on the shoulder of the WGA strike. Instead, the conclusion of the strike will inform workers everywhere the power a strike can hold and the results an effective strike can bring.
WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strike
As of writing this, SAG-AFTRA is now on strike with the writers. This will be the first time in 60 years that both unions strike at the same time. This will bring Hollywood to shut down entirely. If production and streaming companies want to minimize the loss this will bring, then it’s in their best interests to negotiate with the WGA and SAG in good faith. However, that remains to be seen.
There’s no way of knowing how long the strike will last. However, the effect of the strike is already being felt and the impact will grow as each day passes. Personally, I hope the WGA and SAG can hold the strike for as long as possible until their demands are met. I have been keeping myself up to date on strike news every day on social media. This stands to become an important episode in the history of entertainment and workers’ rights. How it all unfolds is still uncertain.
Have you been keeping up with the WGA strike?
What do you think? Sound off in the comments below!
Sources/Further Reading
For more information on the WGA Strike, Vulture published a complete guide for dummies!
Variety’s article goes deeper into the issue of AI.
Deadline’s recent article, has been making the rounds on social media as it reveals the vile intentions of the Hollywood Studios.
Here’s an article that explores how other unions have shown solidarity with the WGA.
