With the lack of media coverage of the current Writer’s strike in Hollywood, many people remain unaware of what they are demanding or that they are on strike, to begin with. With the strike entering its eleventh week, here’s what you need to know:
How did the strike start?
On May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike less than 24 hours after the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) announced that their negotiations with the WGA had not reached an agreement. Almost a month before this negotiation, the WGA started collecting votes from members on whether to authorize a strike, and the popular opinion was clear, with 97.8% voting in favor of going on strike. This was highly anticipated in Hollywood by many people involved in the industry. So, six weeks of negotiations passed, and the WGA was finally fed up. Now 11 weeks later, we’re here, the WGA holding out strong.
Image from @WGAwest on Twitter
What is the WGA asking for? Why did the Writers Guild go on strike in the first place?
While production companies are pouring more money than ever into projects due to streaming, the writers are not seeing any of this money. Writers continued to be paid the same wage no matter what level of experience they have and are promised less work on shows due to the short seasons. According to the WGA’s website “Median weekly writer-producer pay has declined 4% over the last decade. Adjusting for inflation, the decline is 23%.” They go on to explain that as well as pay declining, the amount of steady work they have been receiving is declining. With streaming seasons going from 20+ episodes to a measly 8-10, it’s no surprise that the amount of steady work writers can get is tremendously smaller. The work conditions for TV/Screenwriters have never been ideal, and have been declining with the rise of streaming and constant media releases, which is why most writers/individuals involved in the strike have felt this strike has been on the horizon for a long time.
We’ve reached week 11, what does that mean?
As the writer's strike pushes onward, we can expect our favorite tv programs not to make a return for a while (if ever.) At no fault to the writers, the strike occurs in the summer, which is usually peak production season. Shows we would expect to air in the fall Abbott Elementary, American Dad, and American Horror Story are all part of this pushback, to name a few. Aside from writers, actors, animators, and other workers in the industry have been open with their support. The longer the strike runs, the more people within the media realize how much this pay inequality for writers has affected them. Just recently, on July 6th, 2023, a dance flash mob was done by SAG AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio) members held at Walt Disney World Southern California to support the WGA. See that video here. SAG’s support of the WGA may turn into more than just talk as there is word of their union going on strike.
How you can help:
Be loud in your support and stay informed. For more information about the strike check out their official website www.wgastrike.org.