The writers of Hollywood have been on strike for 146 days. The WGA (Writers Guild of America) has been on strike since May 2, 2023. This union represents 11,500 of Hollywood’s top writers. They have been on strike in order to protest against the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) in order for writers to gain more adequate pay and protect their writing abilities against artificial intelligence. The main concerns for the Hollywood writers were payment residuals from streaming services and higher minimum pay in contracts. Before the strike began, many writers were not given substantial payment and had to possess multiple jobs. This was the leading reason for many workers to go on strike. All Hollywood writers have completely stopped working out of respect for the union and the picket line, until September 27, 2023 when the strike officially ended.
Coverage throughout this strike was apparent in the media. Protesting was spreading throughout Hollywood, with many celebrities helping to support the writers. Writers and celebrities were seen holding protest signs that read, “Do the Write Thing,” “Guild vs. Evil,” and “The Penpire Strikes Back.”
Throughout the beginning of the week, many negotiations were held in order to end these strikes. Many important studio companies such as Disney, Paramount, Netflix, and HBO have been challenged by many setbacks regarding the strikes. Movie premiers and promotions have been postponed and many companies have reduced staff. The WGA released a statement announcing the end of the strike, “The WGA Board and WGAE Council also voted to lift the restraining order and end the strike as of 12:01 am PT/3:01 am ET on Wednesday, September 27th. This allows writers to return to work during the ratification process.”
This new deal will allow writers pay increases that will reflect the current economic climate and ensure that they are being compensated fairly for their work. CNBC says, “The deal will last until May 2026 and includes a 5% minimum pay increase upon the ratification of the contract. Another 4% bump will occur on May 2, 2024, and another 3.5% increase will be instituted on May 5, 2025.” They have also considered, as a part of the deal, higher residuals for streaming services.
The process for negotiation is still ongoing; union members will have until October 8, 2023 to vote on this new deal. However, this does not mean that the striking has come to a complete end. Most Hollywood writers have continued to support the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strikes. Similar to the WGA, Hollywood actors are looking to gain equal pay and benefits, as well as protect their rights from the use of artificial intelligence. The contract that has been drafted for the WGA will likely be used as a template to format the demands of the Actor’s guild. The strike that has changed the Hollywood atmosphere for many months will likely be brought to an end that will be beneficial for the writers and actors who have been actively seeking fair benefits for their work.
