wages
Strike in Hollywood? Screenwriters negotiate a contract
Striking film and television writers demonstrate in front of Paramount Studios January 23, 2008 in Los Angeles. photo
© Kevork Djansezian/AP/dpa
The writers are demanding higher salaries, better working conditions and social benefits. If no agreement can be reached, many film and television projects could soon be put on hold due to the strike.
In Hollywood there are growing concerns about a writers’ strike. The members of the “Writers Guild of America” (WGA) voted with an overwhelming majority of almost 98 percent for a labor dispute if the ongoing contract negotiations by May 1st do not produce a result. The union announced on Monday. More than 9,200 members, almost 80 percent of the authors entitled to vote, had voted – that was a record participation. A strike could shut down many Hollywood film and television projects.
The authors’ union has been negotiating a new contract with the film and television producers (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) since mid-March. The writers demand, among other things, salary increases, better working conditions and higher subsidies for health and pensions.
The authors’ association last threatened to go on strike in 2017. After weeks of negotiations between both parties, an agreement on a new contract was reached at the last moment.
In 2007/2008 the writers even went on strike for 100 days. The strike almost paralyzed Hollywood: Filming on more than 60 TV shows was stopped, film projects were postponed and gala shows were cancelled. Thousands of jobs were lost. The financial loss to the entertainment industry was then estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars.