Writers Guild of America (WGA) members have voted overwhelmingly to authorise a strike should ongoing contract talks with the studios, streamers, networks and content producers fail to reach an agreement.
Results of a week-long online ballot just ended on Monday afternoon (April 17) showed a 78.79% voter turnout, of which 97.85% or 9,020 members voted in favour of strike authorisation and 2.15% or 198 members voted against.
The vote does not make industrial action a certainty. Both sides have indicated they want to find resolution as negotiations continue. Talks kicked off with a two-week session on March 20 and are ongoing.
The current WGA agreement expires on May 1 and the Guild could call a strike any time after that.
“Our membership has spoken,” said the WGA. “You have expressed your collective strength, solidarity, and the demand for meaningful change in overwhelming numbers. Armed with this demonstration of unity and resolve, we will continue to work at the negotiating table to achieve a fair contract for all writers.”
Earlier on Monday Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which negotiates on behalf of Hollywood studios, streamers and networks, issued its own statement saying, “A strike authorisation vote has always been part of the WGA’s plan, announced before the parties even exchanged proposals. It’s inevitable ratification should come as no surprise to anyone.
“Our goal is, and continues to be, to reach a fair and reasonable agreement. An agreement is only possible if the Guild is committed to turning its focus to serious bargaining by engaging in full discussions of the issues with the companies and searching for reasonable compromises.”
The WGA has called for greater compensation, particularly with regard to TV writers in the areas of basic minimum payments, residual payments, and writers’ “mini rooms”. Artificial intelligence is also on the table although the goals and talking points are more nebulous.
The consensus in Hollywood is that industrial action will go ahead, although many believe – and certainly hope – a strike would not last as long as the 100-day industrial action that ran from late 2007 into early 2008.
A strike would cause consideration disruption, particularly in the television sector where writers room work throughout a season. In film, studios, streamers and the independents have been stockpiling screenplays.
Hollywood sales agents heading into the Cannes market are continuing to package projects and the belief is a writers’ strike may not impact productions earmarked to star principal photography towards the end of this year and into 2024.
The directors and actors guilds are also preparing to renegotiate their contracts, which expire on June 30. Were their members to go on strike the impact would be far greater, in which case independent producers may work with non-guild members and set up more collaborations with European and non-US partners whose members may not be affiliated to the Hollywood guilds.
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