Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Writers Guild Of America votes to strike after talks with Hollywood studios fail

Writers Guild Of America votes to strike after talks with Hollywood studios fail

The last WGA strike, in 2007 and 2008, lasted 100 days. The action cost the California economy an estimated $2.1bn (£1.68bn).

Television and movie writers are going on strike for the first time in 15 years in a dispute over fair pay in the streaming era.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) said its 11,500 unionised screenwriters will head to the picket lines on Tuesday.

Negotiations between studios and the writers, which began in March, failed to reach a new contract before the writers' current deal expired.

All script writing is to immediately cease, the guild informed its members.

The dispute could hit TV and film productions depending on how long the strike lasts.

President Joe Biden on Jimmy Kimmel Live last year


Late-night US talk shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon are expected to go dark immediately and air re-runs.

Next to be disrupted could be daytime soap operas since they are traditionally written not long before they are filmed.

Primetime comedies and dramas currently on air should be able to wrap up seasons uninterrupted - their episodes for the coming weeks will have already been written and filmed.

Netflix, which makes shows around the world, has said it can feed its service with shows produced outside the United States, but its US-based series will be affected if a strike drags on.

The board of directors for the WGA, which includes both a West and an East branch, voted unanimously to call for a strike.

"The companies' behaviour 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 said in a statement.

"From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a 'day rate' in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labour force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession.

"No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade association that bargains on behalf of studios and production companies, said negotiations fell short of an agreement before the current contract expired.

In a statement, the AMPTP said it was prepared to improve its offer "but was unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the guild continues to insist upon".

Writers say they have suffered financially during the streaming TV boom, in part due to shorter seasons and smaller
residual payments.

They are seeking pay increases and changes to industry practices they say force them to work more for less money.

Half of TV series writers now work at minimum salary levels, compared with one-third in the 2013-14 season, according to Guild statistics.

Artificial intelligence is another issue at the bargaining table. The WGA wants safeguards to prevent studios from using AI to generate new scripts from writers' previous work.

The last WGA strike, in 2007 and 2008, lasted 100 days. The action cost the California economy an estimated $2.1bn (£1.68bn) as productions shut down and out-of-work writers, actors and producers cut back spending.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Pope Francis Makes Brief Appearance at Easter Sunday Mass
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
Trump is assembling a coalition of Western leaders aligned with the MAGA vision, strengthening a unified front for global change
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Alphabet Faces Antitrust Setbacks as Federal Judges Rule Against Google
US Billionaires Call for Higher Taxes, but Proposed 'Millionaires Tax' May Not Achieve Desired Outcome
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Designed in US, made in China: Why Apple is stuck in tariff tussle
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Meets with Donald Trump to Discuss EU-US Trade Tensions
South East Asia Caught in US-China Trade Dispute
Ukraine and US Sign Outline of Minerals Deal
U.S. and Panama Finalize Defense Agreements Amid Canal Access and Chinese Influence Concerns
China Stands Firm Amidst Trade Disputes with the US: A Factual Analysis
U.S. Tariff Escalation Sparks Global Trade Tensions
EU Postpones Retaliatory Measures Against US Tariffs
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
Global Responses to U.S. Tariffs: Varied Reactions from Key Economies
Europe Pursues Digital Autonomy in Light of Transatlantic Strains
OpenAI Secures Unprecedented $40 Billion Funding
Apple's Innovation Divide: Falling Behind in AI and Foldable Technology Amidst Progress from China
Passenger Taken into Custody for Masturbating on SWISS Air Flight
PUTIN’S LIMOUSINE DETONATES—SECURITY CHAOS ENSUES
OpenAI Unveils New Image Generation Tool for ChatGPT
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Accusations
American Brands Face Consumer Boycott in Europe Amid Escalating Trade and Political Tensions
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has just signed off on a national debt hike to fast-track Germany’s militarization
Pope Francis Makes His First Public Appearance in Five Weeks After Being Hospitalized
Pope Francis Released from Hospital Following Pneumonia Treatment
European Countries Boost Defense Budgets Due to Changes in U.S. Support
Pope Francis Set to Leave Hospital Following Recovery from Pneumonia
Thousands Rally in Amsterdam to Oppose Racism and Fascism
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
The Development of China's Automobile Sector
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
Leaders of the US and Ukraine Hold Constructive Discussion Amid Ongoing Conflict
EU Charges US Tech Giants with Violating Digital Regulations
Serbia's authoritarian government uses illegal sonic weapons against peaceful demonstrators.
European Union Moves Toward Joint Debt for Military Spending
Mass Protests in Belgrade Against Serbian President and Government
Trump Administration's Deportation of Alleged Gang Members Sparks Legal Dispute
Massive Protests Erupt in Serbia Against President Vučić Amid Corruption Allegations
Large Demonstrations Break Out in Serbia After Fatal Railway Station Collapse
Serbian Government Denies Use of 'Sonic Weapon' Amidst Massive Protests
Serbia Witnesses Unprecedented Protests Following Novi Sad Railway Station Collapse
China Introduces 'Zhulong' C-14 Nuclear Battery Promising a Lifespan of 5,730 Years
Inquiry: Social Media Platforms Permitted Advertisements Featuring Anti-Semitic and Anti-Muslim Material in Germany
×