Blockbuster news from Hollywood. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced late tonight that they will be on strike.
After talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed, the union said it would begin a strike tomorrow from 1pm.
of Board of Directors @WGAWest and Council of the @WGAeastActing on the authority given to them by their membership, have unanimously voted to call a strike, effective Tuesday, May 2, at 12:01 AM.
— Writers Guild of America West (@WGAWest) May 2, 2023
“Although we negotiated with the intent of making a fair deal — and although your strike vote gave us leverage to gain some leverage — the studio’s responses to our proposals have been wholly inadequate, as writers face an existential crisis,” the WGA said. It said. A message to members.
The announcement came three hours before the official expiration of his new film and scripted TV contract. The last WGA strike was back in 2007-2008. It lasted for 100 days. More than 11,000 TV and movie writers are expected to walk off the job.
What the WGA wants
The Writers Guild is asking for several changes to their new contract, including:
- Increase returns for streaming and new media.
- is ending the practice of Mini-roomsA small writing room where a limited group of showrunners and writers develop scripts for minimal compensation.
- Increase contributions to health and pension benefits
- Greater control over writers’ work
With the advent of streaming services, authors say they need an agreement that reflects the changing times.
“Writers at every level and in every genre, whether it’s features or TV, we’re all undervalued and taken advantage of financially by studios,” said Danny Tolley, a writer whose credits include “Roswell, New Mexico“And the Shondaland Show”The catch” said The New York Times. “These studios are making billions in profit, and they’re spending billions on content — content that we create with our blood, sweat and tears.”
— Nick Mandernach (@Mandernach) May 2, 2023
The studio pushes back
AMPTP, which represents studios and streamers such as Amazon, Apple, CBS, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony, and Warner Bros Discovery, said in a statement that it offered a “comprehensive package proposal.” According to The Hollywood ReporterSticking issues include the guild’s proposals around minimum writing staff sizes and minimum number of employment hours.
The strike has caused an uproar in Hollywood.
“Across the city, agents and producers are scrambling in a last-minute rush to sew up deals before midnight so that, in some cases, some writers may get paid last, we hear,” wrote. The last line.
As of today, it is difficult to know which shows and productions will be affected by the WGA strike, but the powerful Teamsters Union has announced Their members “do not cross the pet line.”
Talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Will not tape new episodes starting Tuesday night.
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