What is the ``WGA strike'' in which writers in the TV and film industry appeal for wage increases?


by Chris GoldNY

The East and West chapters of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), an organization representing American screenwriters , announced on May 1, 2023, after six weeks of negotiations with the Motion Picture Producers Association (AMPTP) that they would seek fair wages. announced a call to strike today. This is the first major strike by writers since 2007, when it lasted 100 days. ), including lawsuits to restrict the use of

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Writers and writers belonging to WGA have announced that they will go on strike from May 2, 2023. Collective bargaining for a fair deal is taking place outside the main studios in New York, home of the Eastern WGA, and Los Angeles, home of AMPTP. WGA commented, 'We negotiated for a fair deal and were able to achieve some results, but considering the existential crisis facing writers, the studio's response to our proposal The response was completely inadequate,' he said of the reason for the strike.




A statement by the WGA Negotiating Committee touched on the gig economy, a way of working in which one-time, short-term work is undertaken by freelancers, stating, 'A gig economy has been created within unionized workers, and they are steadfast in this negotiation. The stance of the gig economy leads to no guaranteed weekly jobs on TV, cheap per diems in comedy variety shows, more free jobs for screenwriters, more AI It devalues the profession of writing, to the point of obstructing the public.'



The WGA proposal also argues that ``the use of AI is regulated in projects under the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA), which indicates the minimum basic agreement of the union, such as the writer's basic remuneration.'' 'Use of AI' includes the writing or modification of literary materials by AI, as well as the use of materials under the MBA for AI training. AMPTP responded by ``providing an annual conference to discuss technological advances,'' refusing to agree on direct proposals. Regarding the possibility of AI threatening the livelihoods of screenwriters, C. Robert Cargill , known for screenplays such as Doctor Strange and Black Fon, said, ``It is unlikely that AI content will replace the work of screenwriters for the time being. It's not fear.It's what AMPTP wants because the WGA sees it as a problem that the scriptwriter can rewrite the content of AI at low wages, '' Cargill said in an interview with Mashable. 'I haven't done anything like this yet, but I think it will happen in the not too distant future,' he said.




On the other hand, in a statement released by AMPTP, ``We presented proposals to the WGA, including an increase in remuneration and improvements related to streaming. I asked for the 'employment period' and the negotiations have not been completed yet. I would like to continue the discussion.'

The WGA's more than 10,000 writers will follow the strike rule until a new agreement is reached. Therefore, it has been declared that television and film writers will not write anything new, stop working on existing projects, and not participate in negotiations for new projects until the strike is over. Neil Gaiman, who will participate in the script of the overseas drama ' Good Omens ', said, 'The script for 'Good Omens 2' has been completed and submitted. I may not be able to,' he tweeted.




The large-scale strike in 2007 that occurred 16 years ago had a significant impact on the entire industry, including losses of more than $ 2 billion (about 240 billion yen at that time) even in Los Angeles alone. In addition, popular dramas such as 'Prison Break' that were produced at the time were aired with shortened seasons. is of concern. Kate Fortmueller, an associate professor at the University of Georgia, told National Public Radio (NPR), 'This strike is strongly influenced by the recent trend that streaming services have become a major medium, so it will be a long-term strike. 'It could be over, and it could be one of the largest strikes.'

For non-WGA members who support the negotiations, some WGA members are also calling for donations to the Entertainment Community Fund, an industry-wide resilience fund. The foundation offers a range of programs, including social services, financial assistance and housing support, to all those working in film, theater, television, music and radio.




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