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2023 Writers Guild of America strike

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2023 Writers Guild of America strike
DateMay 2, 2023 – present (1 year, 7 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Location
United States
Caused byLack of agreement on a new contract between the WGA and AMPTP
GoalsIncrease funding for writers
MethodsPicketing, protest, strike
Parties

The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike is an ongoing labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) labor union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which began 12:01 AM Pacific Time Zone, 2 May 2023.[1] It is the largest interruption to American television and film production since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as the largest labor stoppage for the WGA since the 2007–2008 strike.

Issues in the strike

The main focus point in the labor dispute is the residuals from streaming media,[2] which the WGA claims that the AMPTP's share of such residuals has cut much of writer's average income from a decade ago.[3][4]

On 2 May 2020, the latest Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) became the collective bargaining agreement that covered most of the work done by WGA writers.[5][6]

On 1 May 2023, the 2020 Minimum Basic Agreement expired.[7][8]

The Los Angeles Times reported that the WGA's proposals would yield to writers about $429 million a year, but AMPTP's offer would yield $86 million.[9]

One disputed issue is the Guild wanting requirements for "mandatory staffing" and "duration of employment" terms to be added to their contract, which would require all shows to be staffed with a minimum number of writers for a minimum amount of time, whether needed or not.[10]

Negotiations and strike activity

On April 18, 2023, 97.85% of members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) labor union of screenwriters in the United States voted to go on strike if they fail to reach a satisfactory agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major film and television studios of Hollywood, by May 1.[11] The AMPTP engaged in lengthy negotiations with the WGA on behalf of Amazon Studios, Apple Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD),[12] but failed to reach a deal before the mandated deadline. As a result, the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) unanimously approved a strike on the eve of May 2, the first of its kind since the 2007–2008 strike fifteen years prior.[2]

The Hollywood Reporter reported that the WGA had set some prospective rules for writers during the strike. The Writers Guild stated "writers cannot do any writing, revising, pitching or discussing future projects with companies that are members of the AMPTP."[13] If writers do such work they will face punishment such as fines, or even banishment from the Guild.

The Writers Guild also stated that fiction podcasts which are produced by companies against which the Guild, and its members are striking, must stop production. The Guild said that they hoped that writers of animated series not covered by the Writers Guild, but by the Animation Guild, would seek advice from the Writers Guild on whether or not their work as a writer works counter to the activities of the strike, and if so to cease such work for the duration of the strike. The Guild noted that while they cannot punish non-Guild writers who write for companies against which the union is striking, they promise to bar such writers from future Guild membership.[14]

The WGA instructed members to begin picketing on May 2, 2023, at 1 pm PDT.[2] By May 3, 2023, picketing hours extended to two four hours shifts, 9 am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 5 pm. The following studios, and events have been reported by Deadline as places where the WGA has planned to picket. In Los Angeles: Amazon/Culver Studios, CBS Radford, CBS Television City, Disney, Fox, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, and in New York City: 30 Rock/NBCUniversal, Broadway Stages, HBO, NBC Upfronts, Netflix Manhattan HQ, Netflix Upfront, Peacock NewFront,[15] Silvercup East, Silvercup Studios, Steiner Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront.[16]

WGA Negotiating Committee

The WGA announced the members of its negotiating committee in November 2022, with David Young as chief negotiator.[17] In May 2023, Ellen Stutzman was the chief negotiator.[18]

Productions impacted

Production has been shut down on the following film and television productions as a result of the strike:

Talk shows

Television series

Productions unaffected

Talk shows

Television series

Response

List of actors picketing
List of actors expressing support for picketers

Solidarity from foreign unions

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), based in the United Kingdom, announced its support for the strike and instructed its members to refrain from working on American projects during the duration of the strike.[35] The Australian Writers' Guild, Writers Guild of Canada, Screenwriters Guild of Israel, Writers Guild of Ireland and Writers Guild of Sweden followed suit.[36] Solidarity statements in support of the strike were issued by the writers' guilds of Italy and France, although France stopped short of discouraging members from working on U.S. projects during the strike.

See also

Further reading

  • Frank, Jason P. (May 1, 2023). "The 2023 WGA Strike for Dummies". Vulture (website). Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; May 2, 2023 suggested (help)
  • Writers Guild of America West. "WGA Negotiations—Status as of May 1, 2023" (PDF). wga.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.

Notes

  1. ^ Pre-recorded first-run episodes that were completed prior to the strike aired during the week of May 1–5.

References

  1. ^ "WGA on Strike". WGA CONTRACT 2023 .org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Kilkenny, Katie (May 1, 2023). "Writers Guild Calls First Strike in 15 Years". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Richwine, Lisa; Chmielewski, Dawn (May 2, 2023). "Hollywood writers strike over pay in streaming TV 'gig economy'". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Hollywood writers go on strike after failed contract negotiations". Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "2020 Writers Guild of America Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement". wga.org. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  6. ^ "A strike by the WGAW and WGAE against all companies signatory to the 2020 Writers' MBA began on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 12:01 am PT/3:01 am ET". SAG-AFTRA. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Robb, David (December 20, 2022). "Historically, The WGA Is Overdue For A Strike, With Residuals Again A Key Issue Of Upcoming Talks". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  8. ^ Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; Writers Guild of America West; Writers Guild of America East (May 2, 2020). 2020 Writers Guild of America - Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers -- Theatrical and Television Basic Agreement (PDF). Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  9. ^ Faughnder, Ryan (May 2, 2023). "Hollywood writers are on strike. Now what?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  10. ^ Horn, John (May 1, 2023). "TV And Movie Writers Strike Over 'Gig Economy' Conditions As Talks Break Down. What's At Stake In The WGA Walkout". LAist. What went wrong - "The primary sticking points are 'mandatory staffing,' and 'duration of employment' — guild proposals that would require a company to staff a show with a certain number of writers for a specified period of time, whether needed or not," the statement concluded.
  11. ^ Isidore, Chris; Yurkevich, Vanessa (April 18, 2023). "Writers strike looms after members vote to shut down film and TV production". CNN Business. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Del Barco, Mandalit (May 2, 2023). "Writers Guild of America goes on strike". NPR. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Kilkenny, Katie; Piña, Christy (April 25, 2023). "Writers Guild Issues Rules for Potential Strike: Writing, Pitching and Negotiating for Work Are Barred". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Kilkenny, Katie; Piña, Christy (April 25, 2023). "Writers Guild Issues Rules for Potential Strike: Writing, Pitching and Negotiating for Work Are Barred". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  15. ^ WEPRIN, ALEX. HUSTON,CAITLIN. CHAN, J. CLARA (April 28, 2023). "Newfronts: The Big Questions Ahead of Amazon, Snap and Roku Pitches to Ad Buyers". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Robb, David, Tapp, Tom (May 1, 2023). "WGA Strike Picket Line Locations List And Times Set For Los Angeles & New York – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Hopkinson, Bob (November 7, 2022). "WGA Announces 2023 MBA Negotiating Committee". WGA West. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  18. ^ WGA Reviews Latest AMPTP Offer As Potential Strike Deadline Looms Archived 2023-04-28 at the Wayback Machine Deadline
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Porter, Rick (May 2, 2023). "Late-Night Shows Shut Down With WGA Strike". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  20. ^ Steinberg, Brian (May 2, 2023). "'Saturday Night Live' Goes Dark in Writers Strike". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  21. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 2, 2023). "'The Talk' Goes Dark Due To Writers Strike". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  22. ^ Humphrey, Julia (May 2, 2023). "'Abbott Elementary' Season 3 on Hold With Writers Strike". Collider. Retrieved May 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ a b c Earl, William; Woerner, Meredith (May 2, 2023). "All the TV Shows and Movies Affected by the WGA Writers Strike (Updating)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  24. ^ Massotto, Erick (May 2, 2023). "'Cobra Kai' Season 6 on Hold as Writers Strike for Fair Wages". Collider. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Petski, Denise (May 2, 2023). "TV Shows Affected By The WGA Strike: 'Night Court', 'Cobra Kai', 'Yellowjackets', 'Abbott Elementary', More – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  26. ^ Chapman, Wilson (May 2, 2023). "'Yellowjackets' Season 3 Writer's Room Lasted for a Day — Then the Strike Happened". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  27. ^ White, Peter (May 2, 2023). "'Gutfeld!' To Remain On Fox News Despite Strike". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  28. ^ Andi Ortiz (May 2, 2023). "The View' to Continue Without Writers: 'Gonna Hear How It Would Be When It's Not Slicked Up'". TheWrap.
  29. ^ McClelland, Timothy (May 2, 2023). "Good Omens Season 2 Update Amidst Writers Strike Provided By Neil Gaiman". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kozak, Jacquelyn (May 3, 2023). "2023 Writers Guild Strike: Actors joining the picket lines". Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Guy, Zoe (May 2, 2023). "Celebrities Are Standing With the Picketers". Vulture. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  32. ^ Lacey, Rose (May 2, 2023). "Comedian John Mulaney Cancels 'Baby J' FYC Screening and Panel Amid Strike (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ O'Neil, Melissa (May 2, 2023). "Instagram post". Instagram. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  34. ^ Saad, Nardine (May 2, 2023). "Fallon, more react to WGA strike: 'I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ Goldbart, Max (May 2, 2023). "UK Writers Guild Expresses Solidarity With WGA & Tells Members Not To Work On U.S. Projects For Strike Duration". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  36. ^ Goodfellow, Zac Ntim,Max Goldbart,Jesse Whittock,Melanie; Ntim, Zac; Goldbart, Max; Whittock, Jesse; Goodfellow, Melanie (May 3, 2023). "Australian & Canadian Guilds Tell Writers To Down Tools In U.S. As International Film & TV Unions React To WGA Strike". Deadline. Retrieved May 3, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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