Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2023, with the industry’s biggest stars to join them at midnight. Source: Replysixty via Wikimedia Commons.
Writers for film and television across the United States have been on strike since early May 2023 — the industry’s biggest stars will join them at midnight.
The entertainment industry is expected to face the largest labour stoppage in 63 years, forcing many productions to shut down across the United States and internationally.
The writers strike began after negotiations broke down between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Accusations were made against the AMPTP claiming they intentionally delayed those negotiations in the hope that members of the WGA would run out of money and lose their homes.
A spokesperson for the AMPTP has since denied those allegations.
On Wednesday night, the AMTPT failed to compromise on contract deals.
As a result, the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced they would be initiating a joint strike.
The union said the companies refused to engage with them on some topics.
Both unions are demanding increases in base pay and residuals and more regulations in place to prevent their work being replaced by artificial intelligence.
More than 1,000 members of the actors guild, including Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, and Jennifer Lawrence, have expressed their commitment to strike.
“When employers make Wall Street and greed their priority and they forget about the essential contributors who make the machine run, we have a problem,” said SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher.
The AMPTP said in a statement, “The Union has regrettably chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands of people who depend on the industry.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger said the writers and actors have an expectation that “is just not realistic.”
The union will begin their joint strike at midnight.
Majority of the upcoming Hollywood films and TV shows will be delayed until a resolution is reached.
