Hollywood on strike: TV and movie writers protest wages amid streaming boom

Unionized film and television writers voted overwhelmingly to give their leaders the authority to call a strike if they cannot agree on a new contract.

In an email sent Monday, the negotiating committee of the Writers Guild of America (WGA for its acronym in English) reported that almost 98% of voters said yes to the strike authorization and about 79% of union members participated in the vote.

The union is currently negotiating with the Film and Television Producers Alliance an agreement intended to address salary and other changes brought about by the dominance of the services of streaming.

“Our members have spoken”, the email said. “They have expressed their collective strength, solidarity and the demand for meaningful change in overwhelming numbers.”

The writers’ current three-year contract expires on May 1 and leaders could call a strike as soon as the next day, though they could extend the deadline if the two sides are close to an agreement.

Issues at stake include salaries, the ability of writers to work for different productions during the downtime of other projects and, according to Varietythe use of artificial intelligence in the script process.

The Film and Television Producers Alliancewhich negotiates for the studies, services of streaming and production companies, said in a statement Monday that “A strike authorization vote has always been part of the WGA plan, announced before the parties exchanged proposals. Its inevitable ratification should surprise no one.”.

“Our goal is, and remains, to reach a fair and reasonable settlement”, the statement says.

Writers voted for a similar strike authorization by nearly the same number in 2017, but an agreement was reached before the strike was called. The union last went on strike in 2007.

Source: Associated Press