The Writers Guild of America strike is now in its eighth week with no end in sight. In response, the WGA is planning a march and rally on Wednesday, involving thousands of writers, allies, and public supporters. The event will include representatives from the WGA West, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, the Directors Guild of America, the Teamsters, and other unions. They will gather at Pan Pacific Park at 10 a.m. and march to the Great Lawn of the La Brea Tar Pits for a noon rally. The purpose of the rally is to continue fighting for a fair share of the wealth created for studios.
Picketing has been a regular occurrence outside major Los Angeles-area studios, although media attention has decreased over time. This upcoming rally will be the second multi-union event since the strike began, following a similar event in downtown L.A. on May 26.
The strike has caused many scripted productions to be put on hold, leaving thousands of behind-the-scenes workers without work. While negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and other unions have resulted in tentative deals, there have been no talks between the WGA and AMPTP.
The WGA is advocating for a variety of improvements, including higher residual pay for streaming programs based on viewership, industry standards for the number of writers assigned to each show, increases in foreign streaming residuals, and regulations to prevent the use of artificial intelligence technology for writing or rewriting literary material.
However, the AMPTP has pushed back against some of these demands. They have raised concerns about mandatory staffing and employment guarantees, arguing that these proposals do not align with the creative process. In regards to streaming residuals, the AMPTP claims that the WGA’s offer would result in a 200% increase. Additionally, the use of artificial intelligence in the industry has become a major topic of discussion. The WGA wants a ban on AI’s use, while the AMPTP believes further discussion is needed to address the creative and legal implications.
An agreement was recently reached between the AMPTP and the Directors Guild of America, which included salary increases and increased residuals for streaming content. The deal also confirmed that AI cannot replace the work performed by DGA members. This agreement was made after less than a month of negotiations before the guild’s previous contract expired on June 30.
It’s important to note that the previous WGA strike in 2007-2008 lasted for 100 days and had a significant impact on the local economy, costing an estimated $2-3 billion.
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