2023 Writers Guild of America strike

2023 Writers Guild of America strike
Part of 2023 Hollywood labor disputes
Picket line formed by writers on strike in New York City on location of Daredevil: Born Again. The production of Severance was shut down due to the strike.
Date	May 2, 2023 – present (2023-05-02 – present) (1 year, 3 months and 3 weeks, or 1 year, 113 days)
Location	United States Primarily New York City, Los Angeles, Burbank, and Culver City
Caused by	Lack of agreement on a new contract between the WGA and AMPTP Poor compensation for writers via residuals with the advent of streaming.
Goals	Increase funding and job security for writers Increase the size of writers' rooms Limit the use of artificial intelligence in the writing process
Methods	Strike action Work stoppage Picketing
Parties
Writers Guild of America West Writers Guild of America, East Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers

The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike is an ongoing strike action that began on May 2, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. PDT. At that time, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on strike over an ongoing labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). It is the largest interruption to American film and television production since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as the largest labor stoppage that the WGA has performed since the strike of 1988, which lasted for 154 days. Since July 14, 2023, it has coincided with a SAG-AFTRA strike as part of a series of broader Hollywood labor disputes and is expected to surpass the previous strikes of 1960 and 1988.

The lack of ongoing film and television productions has resulted in some studios having to close doors, or reduce staff. The strike also jeopardizes long-term contracts created during the media streaming boom when producers were shelling out large sums to creative talent. The big studios can terminate production deals with writers through force majeure clauses after 90 days, saving them millions of dollars. In addition, numerous other areas within the global entertainment ecosystem have been impacted by the strike action. Examples include the VFX industry and prop making studios.

Both Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass and Governor of California Gavin Newsom have offered to help mediate an end to the strikes.

Issues in the strike

A picketer protesting against replacing writers with generative AI.

One of the main focus points in the labor dispute is the residuals from streaming media; the WGA claims that AMPTP's share of such residuals has cut much of the writers' average incomes compared to a decade ago. Writers also wanted artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, to be used only as a tool that can help with research or facilitate script ideas and not as a tool to replace them. The COVID-19 pandemic and its turbulent aftermath sees major reductions in the workforce and cancellations of shows right and left to save money on basic residuals and music licensing costs, but Apple and Amazon remain outliers. The ensuing fall of Peak TV creates a worsening condition for writers.

On May 2, 2020, the latest Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) became the collective bargaining agreement that covered most of the work done by WGA writers. The Minimum Basic Agreement was an agreement that established a minimum wage for television and film writers. In television, the Minimum Basic Agreement only applied to those who wrote for broadcast television shows and not for streaming television. This was very clear when comparing late-night talk shows that were produced for broadcast television, such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by CBS, versus The Problem with Jon Stewart, produced for streaming by Apple TV+. The writers who worked for The Problem were not covered by the MBA and therefore had to negotiate individually with the streaming company for their pay, and as a result, they were paid less than writers who wrote for The Late Show while doing the same amount of work. This pattern held true with other shows in the two categories. The MBA expired on May 1, 2023.

The WGA estimated that its proposals would yield writers about US$429 million a year, whereas the AMPTP's offer would yield $86 million.

One disputed issue is the Guild wanting requirements for "mandatory staffing" and "duration of employment" terms to be added to their contract, which would require all shows to be staffed with a minimum number of writers for a minimum amount of time, "whether needed or not" per the AMPTP.

Another important proposal that the WGA is advocating for is to ensure each member of a writing team receives their own pension and their own health care funds. The AMPTP rejected this proposal and did not offer a counterproposal. At the same time, there was a tentative agreement between the WGA and AMPTP to have 0.5% of negotiated minimums for all WGA minimums shifted into pensions and health funds.

Timeline of negotiations and strike activity

A strike captain leads WGA strikers outside Warner Bros. Studios.

April 2023

On April 18, 2023, 97.85% of members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to go on strike if they failed to reach a satisfactory agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major film and television studios in Hollywood, by May 1. The AMPTP engaged in lengthy negotiations with the WGA on behalf of Amazon Studios (as well as MGM Holdings), Apple Studios, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), but failed to reach a deal before the mandated deadline.

May 2023

As a result, the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) unanimously approved a strike on the eve of May 2, the first of its kind since the 2007–2008 strike fifteen years prior.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that the WGA had set some prospective rules for writers during the strike. The Writers Guild stated that "writers cannot do any writing, revising, pitching, or discussing future projects with companies that are members of the AMPTP."

The Writers Guild also stated that fiction podcasts that are produced by companies against which the Guild and its members are striking must stop production. The Guild said that they hoped that writers of animated series not covered by the Writers Guild but by the Animation Guild would seek advice from the Writers Guild on whether or not their work as a writer was counter to the activities of the strike and, if so, to cease such work for the duration of the strike. The Guild noted that while they cannot punish non-Guild writers who write for companies against which the union is striking, they promise to bar such writers from future Guild membership.

The WGA instructed members to begin picketing on May 2, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. PDT. Some places that the WGA has picketed include AMC Networks, Amazon/Culver Studios, MGM, CBS Radford, CBS Television City, Disney, 20th Century Studios, Lionsgate, Starz, Netflix, Paramount, MTV, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros. (including its Burbank division), 30 Rock/NBCUniversal, Broadway Stages, HBO, Silvercup Studios, Steiner Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront.

During the strike, the WGA instructed writers facing financial hardship due to the strike to apply to the Entertainment Community Fund. The Entertainment Community Fund helps people in the entertainment industry with financial trouble find affordable housing and maintain health care and senior care coverage. On May 10, 2023, it was reported that writers had pledged $1.7 million to the Entertainment Community Fund. Among the prominent donors were showrunners and producers J. J. Abrams, Greg Berlanti, Adam McKay, Ryan Murphy, Shonda Rhimes, Michael Schur, and John Wells.

June 2023

On June 7 and 8, 2023, picketing in the Northeast (namely in New York) was paused due to poor air quality from the 2023 Canadian wildfires. Strike activity resumed on the 9th when air quality improved.

On June 9, 2023, Lionsgate suspended BMF line producer Ian Woolf following an altercation with striking writers who were picketing outside of BMF's production headquarters. According to first-hand accounts from writers Gabriel Alejandro Garza and Tom Smuts, Woolf attempted to intimidate Garza and Brian Egeston, who were picketing on the sidewalk next to the studio's entrance, by accelerating his car towards them and stopping just short of hitting them. After first claiming that he did not see them, Woolf later admitted to trying to scare them. According to Smuts, Woolf later unsuccessfully tried to convince Teamsters Local 728 to cross picket lines, but they refused. Lionsgate released a statement saying, "We take acts of intimidation and threats of violence seriously and investigate them thoroughly... As we continue to investigate, we have sent home the individual involved." The WGA also released a statement, which read, "Workers should not be threatened with physical harm when exercising their right to publicly protest and picket against unfair wages and working conditions."

July 2023

On July 12, 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that the AMPTP and the major Hollywood studios did not plan to return to negotiations with the WGA until late October 2023 at the earliest. The studio executives who anonymously spoke with Deadline stated that by October, many writers would be financially strained to the point where they would lose their housing, which they believed would allow them to be in a better position to dictate the terms of any new deal. Representatives for the AMPTP distanced themselves from the anonymous sources, claiming they remained committed to signing a deal as soon as possible.

August 2023

On August 1, 2023, the WGA announced that it would meet with the AMPTP on the following Friday to discuss negotiations regarding the strike. The location of the meeting was not disclosed. A spokesman for the AMPTP, speaking in relation to the strikes of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, said, "we remain committed to finding a path to mutually beneficial deals with both unions." Both parties met on August 4, 2023, but no agreement was reached.

On August 10, 2023, the AMPTP and the WGA agreed to resume contract negotiations, with the first meeting set for August 11. After that meeting, the Writers Guild sent a note to its 11,500 members saying the AMPTP had indicated a willing to make concessions in some areas, including finding ways to safeguard writers from artificial intelligence technology. The note added, however, that the AMPTP had said studios "were not willing to engage" on other Writers Guild proposals, including success-based residual payments from streaming services. The note said guild leaders would not return to negotiations until studios were willing to engage on all proposals. However, the WGA sent a message to members that evening saying that they had received a counterproposal and were evaluating it.

On August 21, 2023, picketing was canceled in Los Angeles due to Hurricane Hilary. The union, meanwhile, has remained relatively silent beyond Friday's message: "Everybody is trying to step up and make a resolution," one executive told THR. "There's more positive momentum this week than last."

On August 22, 2023, AMPTP presented a proposal suggesting rules for AI content, but as of August 25, 2023, talks between the studios and the writers have been at a stalemate.

On August 30, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma sent letters to Netflix, The Walt Disney Company, Comcast, Warner Bros. Discovery, Apple Inc., Paramount Global and Amazon, telling them to return to negotiations and settle the strikes. She states that the impact of the strikes "paralyzes Hollywood and reverberates across the state, affecting countless businesses, thousands of pension fund beneficiaries, and millions of Californians."

September 2023

On September 6, Warner Bros. suspended deals with Mindy Kaling, J.J. Abrams, Greg Berlanti, and Bill Lawrence. It had announced the day before that the strikes would impact its 2023 earnings by $500 million.

On September 7, American comedian and political commentator Bill Maher said in an interview with MSNBC that Governor of California Gavin Newsom should be involved with the negotiation to end the strike.

On September 8, it was reported that the WGA has asked member companies that have shown a "desire and willingness to negotiate an agreement that adequately addresses writers’ issues...[and who] have said they are willing to negotiate on proposals that the AMPTP has presented to the public as deal breakers," to leave the AMPTP and negotiate independently with the WGA.

WGA negotiating committee

The WGA announced the members of its negotiating committee in November 2022, with David Young as chief negotiator. In February 2023, Ellen Stutzman took over as the chief negotiator of the WGA.

• John August
• Angelina Burnett
• Kay Cannon
• Yahlin Chang
• Robb Chavis
• Adam Conover
• Travis Donnelly
• Ashley Gable
• David A. Goodman (co-chair)
• Hallie Haglund
• Eric Haywood
• Eric Heisserer
• Greg Iwinski
• Chris Keyser (co-chair)
• Luvh Rakhe
• Erica Saleh
• Danielle Sanchez-Witzel
• James Schamus
• Tom Schulman
• Michael Schur
• David Shore
• David Simon
• Patric Verrone
• Nicole Yorkin

Productions impacted

Main article: List of productions impacted by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike

Many films, television programs, and podcasts have been affected by the strike; some have been forced to continue production without writers, while others have been completely shut down. The projects that have been unaffected either were already written before May 2, are largely unscripted, or rely on non-union staff.

Still, other projects with completed scripts have been postponed or canceled due to the union's use of picket lines to disrupt those productions.

Response

Actors during the WGA strike

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and executive vice president Ben Whitehair picketed with the WGA in May. A significant number of other actors also joined the picket lines or otherwise expressed support for the WGA strike.

Drew Barrymore withdrew from hosting the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in support of the WGA strike, and Jennifer Coolidge, Joseph Quinn, and Pedro Pascal expressed support for the strike in their pre-recorded speeches during the ceremony. Seth Meyers spoke in support of the strike during the "Corrections" segment on Late Night with Seth Meyers a few days before the strike began. Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik similarly left during the show's last week of filming (for season 39), though production continued with Ken Jennings as host. The strike was also discussed at the Cannes Film Festival press conferences, with Sean Penn, Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano, and Kathleen Kennedy expressing their support. Snoop Dogg spoke in support of the strike during a panel at the Milken Institute and drew parallels with payout conflicts between music artists and music streaming platforms.

Elected officials

Several elected officials supported the strike and appeared on their picket lines:

• Konstantine Anthony, Mayor of Burbank, California and SAG-AFTRA member
• Laura Friedman, member of California's 44th State Assembly district
• Adam Schiff, representative from California's 30th congressional district

Other unions

In a statement made on April 18, 2023, the Directors Guild of America (DGA) president, Lesli Linka Glatter told the members of the Guild that there is nothing the union could do to force members back to work if a WGA strike were to happen. However, she also noted that if DGA members do not perform their "DGA covered services," they could be let go from their current positions.

Ahead of the strike, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 399 issued an advisory to members instructing Teamsters not to strike but informing them that they are protected by the Teamsters contract if they refuse to cross picket lines. At a WGA rally on May 3, 2023, Lindsay Dougherty, the leader of Teamsters Local 399, said that while the Teamsters could not strike in solidarity due to a contract in place through 2024, she affirmed that Local 399 would not cross picket lines, saying, "Every single truck that we know of has not crossed."

On May 2, 2023, The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839 made a statement of support for the Writers Guild and their strike. Along with this statement, they produced a Question and Answer document to help Animation Guild members figure out how the Writers' Strike impacts their ability to maintain solidarity with the members of the Writers Guild.

Ahead of the strike, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees president Mathew Loeb informed its members of their rights to honor a picket line and that in many places their contracts "expressly" allow employees to honor lawful picket lines.

On April 30, SAG-AFTRA advised its members that while they should continue working on active projects to avoid breach of contract claims, it encouraged members to show solidarity by walking picket lines during non-working hours and posting on social media. The union also advised writers "You should not write anything normally written by striking WGA writers."

Foreign unions

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), based in the United Kingdom, announced its support for the strike and instructed its members to refrain from working on American projects during the duration of the strike. The Australian Writers' Guild, Writers Guild of Canada, Screenwriters Guild of Israel, the Writers Guild of Ireland, and the Writers Guild of Sweden followed suit. Solidarity statements in support of the strike were issued by Writers Guild Italia and La Guilde française des scénaristes, although the Guilde stopped short of discouraging members from working on American projects during the strike.

Film and television executives

On May 3, 2023, the second day of the strike, The Walt Disney Company (through its ABC Signature Studios unit) sent a letter written by the studios' Assistant Chief Counsel Bob McPhail on behalf of the executives at Disney to showrunners and all other writer-producers who work for the company, saying that they must report back to work and perform their non-writer duties. Producers are expected to do what are known as "a through h" services, like cutting for time, making small changes to dialogue or narration, and "changes in technical or stage directions."

On May 4, 2023, on the Q1 earnings call for Paramount, CEO Bob Bakish addressed the strike, saying that writers were "an essential part of creating content" and that he hoped there could be "a resolution that works for everyone fairly quickly". Bakish also stated that the company had been planning for an extended strike and shared that the company's strategy to outlast the writers' strike is to use its large streaming library located within Paramount+, the upcoming summer movie slate, which will move to the streaming service, and productions that will be completed offshore.

On July 11, 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was seeking to use a "divide and conquer" approach among the different Hollywood unions, including the WGA. The article said that the AMPTP would not negotiate with the WGA until October at the earliest and quoted one studio executive as saying, "The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses." The article and quote received attention and backlash from both Hollywood outlets, such as Entertainment Tonight, and non-Hollywood outlets, such as Vanity Fair and the New York Daily News. When asked about the guild's demands for staffing minimums and guaranteed employment periods, AMPTP president Carol Lombardini responded by saying that "writers are lucky to have term employment."

AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron said of the WGA strike that only a prolonged strike lasting many months would impact the theater chain and that most of the movies to be released in 2023 and 2024 have already been written and even filmed.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and president David Zaslav said that WBD and other Hollywood studios were "not glad" that the WGA strike had occurred and that the company was working to resolve the strike and compensate writers fairly.

See also

• 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike
• List of Hollywood strikes
  • 1960 Writers Guild of America strike
  • 1981 Writers Guild of America strike
  • 1988 Writers Guild of America strike
  • 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television in the United States

Further reading

• Frank, Jason P. (May 1, 2023). "The 2023 WGA Strike for Dummies". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023.
• Media coverage from Deadline, May 23, 2023
• Media coverage from The Hollywood Reporter;
• Media coverage from Variety, April 24, 2023
• Writers Guild of America West. "WGA Negotiations—Status as of May 1, 2023" (PDF). wga.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.

External links

• WGA Official Strike Website