The WGA Is On Strike

Time for decent walking shoes.

Wall Street has long been the enemy of Main Street, and it has become the enemy of Hollywood. Tech money hatchet men have destroyed the middle class in the entertainment industry.

What we writers are asking for is fair, and it would cost less than 2% of the billions in profits made by the companies.

The full statement from the WGA(W) is here, and it’s worth a read.

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.

The WGA’s cause is also Hollywood at large’s cause. Lots of jobs, not much security or income. As hard as the strike will be, perhaps it may also inspire workers in other sectors to seek to collectively bargain.

All work on film, TV and podcasts with signatory companies has halted. Comic Books are not literary material recognized or covered by the WGA and are not a part of this labor action.

The contracts for the Directors and Actors are up at the end of next month. There are somewhat different needs in those unions, and if they walk to join us, that means the WGA will have already been picketing for sixty days. It’s going to be a long, hard fight.

A slightly outdated infographic, but the truth remains that the WGA asked for a fair deal. We were turned down.

More updates soon.

GD