After a unanimous vote, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called strike on May 2, 2023. The strike lasted for 148 days and ended on Sept. 27.
The Writers Guild of America represents the 11,500 screenwriters of two labor unions, the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The strike came to be after a disagreement between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Disney, Paramount, Netflix and many other production companies. While the revenue gained by streaming services have gone up, the wages received by the screenwriters that write their shows and movies have noticeably gone down.
To give reference: median weekly writer-producer pay within the last decade has declined by 23% when adjusting to inflation according to wgacontract2023.org. But according to Business of Apps, Disney+ has generated $8 billion in 2023 alone.
The WGA also took a stand against the use of A.I. in the writer’s room, contributing to the already hot debate of A.I. ‘s role in the world of creativity. The WGA demanded regulations on the use of A.I. fearing that their jobs would be reduced to doctoring outputs spat out by machines.
The strike resulted in a complete labor stoppage, forcing a large number of popular shows and long awaited movies like season five of “Stranger Things” and “The Batman: Part II” to halt production. Disgruntled screenwriters picketed at the doors of major production companies, demanding change and better treatment.
In July, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) called strike, marking the first time writers and actors have been on strike together since 1960.
After five months of strike action, and multiple attempts at negotiation, the WGA and AMPTP came to an agreement with a three year contract, resulting in the strike coming to a close.
As Hollywood slowly returns to normal, the future of entertainment remains uncertain. But the power of protest and human perseverance is as firm as ever.
