When I first heard that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) was going on strike back in May, I was quite cynical about the decision. It was hard to garner sympathy for people making TV shows and movies- sure, I’m certain it’s hard work and has its downsides like any other job. But how can tese wealthy celebrities claim to be mistreated and underpaid? They are enjoying a glamorous lifestyle, earning millions of dollars for their work. They have no clue what real hardship is, what real labor is.
Digging even a few layers past the headlines, though, paints a different picture. If you’re unfamiliar with what’s been going on since the writers went on strike on May 3rd, here are some quick links to catch you up:
2023 Writers Guild of America strike - Wikipedia
(my inner grade-schooler is reveling in the fact that I am credibly citing a Wikipedia page)
Nobody wins in the Hollywood strikes, including billion-dollar studios - Vox
Videos and news coverage:
My go-to news show, Breaking Points, have a number of pieces on the strike. Firstly, a discussion of the strike since the actors union SAG-AFTRA joined the strike:
A deep-dive on how exactly AI could be used by studios to take the intellectual property and overall dignity of their workers:
And, if you’re feeling podcast-y, a lengthy critique of corporate greed and how it plays into the strike.
The TL;DR
Hollywood is often seen as a glamorous place where actors, writers, and other creative professionals can pursue their passions and make a living doing what they love. But behind the glitz and glamour, there is often a harsh reality of long hours, low pay, and uncertain futures.
The WGA, which represents about 11,500 writers in film and television, has been on strike since May 2, 2023, after failing to reach a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major studios and streaming services.
The WGA is demanding better wages, residuals, health care, pension, diversity, and transparency from the AMPTP, which represents Hollywood studios and production companies. The writers argue that they have been underpaid and exploited for years, especially as streaming platforms have changed the landscape of entertainment.
Streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max have revolutionized the way people consume entertainment, offering unlimited access to thousands of titles for a monthly fee. However, this also means that writers and actors are not getting paid as much as they used to when their work was shown on traditional media like broadcast networks, cable channels, or movie theaters.
Streaming services pay writers and actors a flat fee upfront, instead of residuals based on viewership or box office performance. This essentially means that even if a show or a movie becomes a hit on streaming, the creators do not see any additional income from it. Moreover, streaming services often do not share their viewership data with writers and actors, making it hard for them to negotiate fair compensation or claim credit for their work. The unions also want to protect their intellectual property rights from being taken over by AI, which is increasingly being used to generate scripts, dialogue, and even characters.
The AMPTP, on the other hand, claims that it has offered the writers a generous package that includes the highest wage increase in 35 years, as well as some concessions on residuals, AI, and data sharing. This is all well and good, but have almost entirely been squeezed out by the strike negotiations. The studios also say that they are facing financial challenges due to the pandemic, piracy, and competition from emerging competition (as everyone and their mom has a streaming service nowadays).
However, this is their own doing to a large degree- Netflix created a new, shiny business model that hooked their subscribers into different consumption patterns, and everyone blindly followed suit in fear of losing their seat at the table. Who could’ve predicted that creating endless content to compete with other streamers, rather than to make the best content possible, wouldn’t be so profitable? Overall, I find it hard to buy the argument that they don’t have the money to spare, especially after their strike-breaking practices and overall scumbaggery that has come out in the past few months.
Where Art and Labor Meet
Whether you’re an actor or carpenter (or both, like Harrison Ford), we all want to be able to make a living following our passions and doing what we’re best at. And I do believe that our contributions to the world are at their best when people are allowed to do so.
I understand that most people aren’t afforded the opportunity to follow their dreams. It’s a reality of life- but I hope for a world where they can still find communities that support them and help them pull in the full value of their work.
This American Dream that we’re sold, though, doesn’t seem to hold much weight. And even after we were all forced to read Of Mice and Men in school, we still struggle to correctly appropriate blame as to why these dreams fail.
The media cycle burns through these struggles for laborers’ rights, and usually recede into the background in favor of a corporate conglomerate’s agenda. However, I think the ease with which one can draw a line between the Hollywood strike and the cries of working people everywhere over their pay, working conditions, and overall inability to achieve financial security, is something that can bring people together.
This strike is not just about money or power; it’s about dignity and respect for creative workers who contribute to our culture and society. It’s about ensuring that workers have a voice and a stake in the future of their industry.
Towing the Picket Line
You may think these writers are a bunch of privileged hipsters who are punching above their weight- and maybe you’re right. But their visibility is more accessible to the average person than the strikes of UPS, Amazon, or rail workers. If you can find empathy for them as working people, rather than contempt for the annoying barista with the Gryffindor tattoo, you can find common ground with just about anyone else in America. And that’s a rare thing to feel nowadays.
The WGA has received support from other unions and organizations, such as teachers, nurses, journalists, and environmentalists. In principle, it’s cool to see people from all walks of life challenging the status quo and demanding change. Yet, I’m not entirely naive to the fact that these same unions can play an equal role in their workers’ struggle to make ends meet.
I think this is something that a lot of us are ingrained with, and is part of why I was initially dismissive of this strike. Unions can be corrupted just as easily as corporations or bureaucracies: silencing minority voices within the union, pitting workers against their employers to a fault, or hindering organizational growth/change. People are corruptable no matter how they obtain their power- and others may simply be misguided.
This is reflected in our current culture; Americans are (nearly) less likely than ever to be a member of a union. As a member of Gen Z who has trouble trusting or believing in any of our major institutions, I think we are all rethinking how our voices are heard in society. And for me, those who organize or participate in labor movements are so much more relatable than the people who run for elected office. So while I’m not going to claim any expertise in labor law, there is research suggesting that this decline is correlated with the decline of worker bargaining power, leading to wage suppression and the “deterioration of labor’s share of income”.
I’m not alone in this, either. Approval of Labor Unions in the US is at its highest point since 1965, even though the participation rate is still quite low. People are looking for movements to rally behind, and for ways that people can enact change in their lives and their communities.
The news is constant doom and gloom, throwing rocks from one glass house to another. Neither of our presidential candidates are willing to democratically debate for their constituents; and both of them are in the midst of criminal investigations- which is always a great sign. It’s easier than ever to get angry at someone or something, all you have to do is turn on a screen and pick a side.
Maybe I’m being overly optimistic, but I have hope that unions can create authentic connections across political and personal ideologies. I hope that unions can improve people’s working conditions, and show them that positive change can be affected when people come together. The American Dream may be an idea founded under false pretenses, but I’d like to believe that we can make a place that can harbor the dreams of future generations.
As the strike enters its fourth month with no end in sight, it will be interesting to keep an eye on how it unfolds and what it means for Hollywood and beyond. Will the strike inspire more workers to organize? Will the strike change the way we consume and create entertainment? Will we ever actually “run out of content”? Only time will tell.
Next Up, jake:writes about…
What you may have missed in August: pop-culture round up #1
This article was initially going to more tech-y, so probably something along the lines of AI, social media, etc. What do you want to hear about next?