The Writers Guild Of America Is Looking To The 2007-2008 Strike In Preparation For Upcoming Negotiations
Image Source: Scripps News
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) are about to begin talks to prevent a repeat of the infamous 2008-2007 strike. Tensions have been brewing between the two groups for some time. Writers are concerned about how inflation and the cost-of-living crisis have cut their residuals in real terms. Studios are further squeezing their income by ordering shorter runs of series in a bid to reduce running costs. Streaming residuals are also a point of contention with writers feeling that they should receive a greater cut. There is also a call for other benefits such as better pensions and health care as well as eliminating practices that take advantage of writers, such as mini-rooms and free work expectations. The WGA has said they will continue to focus on the negotiations rather than getting caught up in a back-and-forth on social media or news outlets.
Studios reportedly have been given more notice of the potential for strike action than in the past, but whether they have heeded the warnings remains to be seen. Hopefully, any impact on the industry can be lessened. Audiences have an increased appetite for new material, so if the strike continues for any length of time, the revenue to streaming services could get hit the hardest.
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The impact of the last strike was wide-reaching. Series such as Battlestar Galactica and Bionic Woman were canceled before the completion of their first season, and nightly shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ran out of content and were forced to show re-runs for a number of months. Many writers also lost their jobs when some production companies switched from unionized to non-unionized workers in the aftermath. The ramifications for both sides are great if they cannot come to an arrangement.
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