When you are watching your favorite show or movie, it is easy to place all credit on the actors or studio responsible for creating it. Like most people, I find myself quick to praise my favorite characters for their performance, but forget about the most important piece to the puzzle: the writers. Without writers, there would be no entertainment. 

The Writers Guild of America is a labor union that works to represent its members, who create and write for various media and Hollywood platforms. They present themselves as a body for writers in front of the government in order to negotiate fair contracts that protect writers' creative and working rights. They also host programs, seminars, and events in the interests of writers. 

On May 2, 2023, members and workers of the Writers Guild of America took to the streets on strike. The event was the result of an abundance of issues not previously addressed in recent negotiations with Hollywood studios. Issues affecting writers throughout the industry. According to an article issued by AP News, these problems up for discussion include, pay, staffing, residuals, and not surprisingly, the developing AI software now posing a threat to the future of writers´ employment. 

Quick to defend Hollywood studios, criticism of the strikers' motivations have been uncovered by many arguing that the solutions studios have presented to writers regarding pay have been more than sufficient within the terms they are asking for. In an informative article published by the New York Times, the authors state that studios have argued this is ¨not the best time for a major change in how writers are paid,¨ as many networks have experienced a decrease in their viewers and subscribers, quickly losing profitability. 

But when will it be a sufficient time to address these existential issues? 

These problems are not merely affecting the writers alone and the use of their creativity, but they have families, and livelihoods they need to uphold. AP News reports that more than 49% of writers are currently being paid at the minimum rate. This rate is barely enough to keep up with a standard condition of living, let alone supporting a family. These are not greedy strikers looking for a reason to get paid more. They are merely seeking support for the various problems they are facing impacting their everyday lives. 

As the strike continues, popular shows such as Abbott Elementary, Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, and many Late Night shows according to Variety are being placed on pause in production until an agreement is reached between the WGA and studios. Coming from someone who knows a writer involved in the strike, these issues are long term and must be addressed.

Works Cited

Writers Guild of America, East | Giving Writers the Credit They Deserve, wgaeast.org. Accessed 21 May 2023.

Barnes, Brooks. “2023 Writers Guild of America Strike: What You Need to Know.” The New York Times, 7 May 2023, nytimes.com/article/wga-writers-strike-hollywood.html. Accessed 21 May 2023.

Earl, William, et al. “All the TV Shows and Movies Affected by the WGA Writers Strike (Updating).” Variety, 12 May 2023, variety.com/2023/tv/news/tv-shows-movies-affected-wga-writers-strike-2023-1235601094/. Accessed 21 May 2023.

“What do striking Hollywood writers want? A look at demands.” AP News, 3 May 2023, apnews.com/article/wga-writers-strike-demands-d403f5b4666f20e2ce3e379bcaef5f2a. Accessed 21 May 2023.