Superb.
#wgastrong #WritersStrike #LucilleBluth pic.twitter.com/FesLK68MGy
— Isabelle (@northnorth_west) May 4, 2023
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—aka Hollywood’s writers—went on strike. After six weeks of contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the WGA announced its members would “walk off the job.” The labor union represents about 11,500 people who write for the television shows and movies we enjoy at home and in theaters. Their protesting brings productions to a halt, the likes of which have not been seen since the last strike in 2007–2008.
So, why is the WGA striking? There are many reasons, but one is regarding residuals in the face of streaming services. A writer receives money every time the episode they wrote re-airs on a television network. For those with a show in syndication like Friends, that can mean a substantial amount of income. But with on-demand services like Hulu and Netflix, the residuals for a show are much lower—despite how many times an episode might be viewed. This makes it unsustainable for writers.
Good thing I, as the writer of this episode, do not benefit from this success because of the current streaming residuals model pic.twitter.com/U5u93ynjKa
— Brittani Nichols *Strike Version* (@BisHilarious) May 4, 2023
“Driven in large part by the shift to streaming, writers are finding their work devalued in every part of the business. While company profits have remained high and spending on content has grown, writers are falling behind,” the WGA said in a statement. “The companies have used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, worsening working conditions for series writers at all levels. ”
The industry is also grappling with the rise of AI and how the technology could be used to generate scripts. The WGA is looking for protection against the use of artificial intelligence as it relates to writing material. “Right now, I think we have a pretty simple philosophy, which is AI can’t be literary material,” explains Chris Keyser, WGA Negotiating Committee Co-Chair. “It can’t be a draft that we have to rewrite. It doesn’t mean that companies won’t use it in some ways. It can be research material—but it can’t be literary material. I’ll say this, no one knows exactly what AI’s going to be, but the fact that the companies won’t talk about it is the best indication we’ve had that we have a reason to fear it.”
While scripted programming is on hold—and could be for a while as the last strike lasted 100 days—there is a lot at stake for the writers. The hope is that a strike will force the AMPTP to negotiate, as the implications of it have a ripple effect throughout the industry.
The WGA created protest signs with space for writers to fill in the blanks. And, being writers, it’s no surprise they came up with witty and often times laugh-out-loud funny things to put on those signs. Scroll down to see some of the best signs from the Writers’ Strike picket line, so far.
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike. Here are some of the best protest signs seen at the picket lines so far.
All work and no pay makes writers STRIKE ✊ #wgastrong #writersstrike pic.twitter.com/EAK3WcNsrQ
— Diya Mishra (@thedimishra) May 3, 2023
Hit them where it hurts. #wgastrong pic.twitter.com/ZCRdRypt4G
— Phillip Iscove (@pmiscove) May 2, 2023
Several reporters today were walking around asking writers how long we’d *actually* be willing to strike. I don’t know dude, how long do you think it’ll take 11,000 unemployed writers to run out of sign ideas? #wgastrong #writersstrike pic.twitter.com/C0cq81jTcF
— mah ree nah (@marinarachael) May 3, 2023
THIS THREAD IS OF MY FAVE PICKET SIGNS. reply to the sign to help me tag and give credit if i don't have it! thank you! @WGAWest @WGAEast #WritersStrike ✊ pic.twitter.com/9YZXDgZxFK
— Jenny Yang is in LA Sun May 21st 4pm Self Help Me (@jennyyangtv) May 3, 2023
“YOU CAME UP WITH QUIBI”#WritersStrike #WritersGuildofAmerica pic.twitter.com/2tQkYIgLm1
— Jenny Yang is in LA Sun May 21st 4pm Self Help Me (@jennyyangtv) May 3, 2023
#WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/8f8CYgpApe
— chandra thomas (@chandra7thomas) May 4, 2023
“SURE, I SUPPORT ‘A.I.'…
*A*ll our terms being met
*I*n a fair & timely manner”
✊ @jonnysun #WritersStrike #WritersGuildofAmerica pic.twitter.com/OxeJwxc2I9— Jenny Yang is in LA Sun May 21st 4pm Self Help Me (@jennyyangtv) May 3, 2023
If this doesn’t scare you #wga #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/HUqclM9e1C
— Taietsarón:sere (@tai_leclaire) May 4, 2023
The last WGA strike in the mid-aughts lasted 100 days. If you look back at television shows around that time, you'll notice that many of the seasons were shortened.
Writers strike picket signs still undefeated perfection pic.twitter.com/G7uyErHhmQ
— Fuck You I Quit (@fuckyouiquit) May 5, 2023
These #writersstrike picket signs are so good.
“‘I’M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING GO TAKE THIS ANYMORE’ WAS NOT WRITTEN BY A PRODUCER!” pic.twitter.com/UV4rkQGmfy— is pro WGA (@EmmaTolkin) May 2, 2023
“AMPTP: THIS IS NOT THE WAY”#WritersStrike #WritersGuildofAmerica pic.twitter.com/KUN0w0j72n
— Jenny Yang is in LA Sun May 21st 4pm Self Help Me (@jennyyangtv) May 3, 2023
Took a day of brainstorming with a blank sign but landed on this last night. #WGAStrong #WGAStrike pic.twitter.com/C6SAEF37Iq
— James C. Oliver (@JamesOliverInLA) May 3, 2023
#WGAStrong pic.twitter.com/0mcA9hpD3d
— Leon Langford (@MasonLLL) May 3, 2023
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The Writers Guild of America West released their list of proposals and the AMPTP responses that justified why the labor union was forced to go on strike.
I'm incredibly proud of how transparent our union is. In the @WGAWest‘s strike announcement, we included a list of our proposals, and the AMPTP's responses. Read it for yourself: it explains in black and white we're forced to go on strike. pic.twitter.com/U2FLsv9Dob
— Adam Conover (@adamconover) May 2, 2023
In light of the current strike, clips of Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show are going viral. They demonstrate what it was like during the 2007–2008 protests.
Late Night took a two months break, thinking the strike would end, but when it kept oging they were forced to come back without writers.
What followed was remote segments of Conan showing people stuff at his desk, and mostly just unscripted content. pic.twitter.com/3E5eIDzBev
— Flash Knight ⚡️ Heroes Unbound (@HeroesUnbound) May 2, 2023
The last time the WGA went on strike, Conan O'Brien did this. Pay writers. pic.twitter.com/jGakskSVLK
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) May 2, 2023
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