Writers strike may be just days away
Here’s what you need to know
LOS ANGELES Ready or not, Hollywood may be thrust into another writers’ strike — as soon as Monday.
A decade after a walkout that lasted 100 days, film and TV executives are again bracing for a strike.
Here’s a primer on what you need to know about a possible work stoppage.
Who would go on strike?
Writers for TV shows and movies will walk off the job if the Writers Guild of America, which has nearly 13,000 members, calls a strike after their contract expires May 1. They include writers for major network series as well as those for shows on cable and streaming media like Netflix and Amazon. Even joke writers for late-night comedy shows would join the picket line.
How did we get here?
Contract negotiations between writers and the studios began March 13, but the two sides have so far failed to reach an agreement on key issues relating to compensation and benefits. The talks broke off March 24, with each side accusing the other of walking away from the table first.
Discussions resumed April 10 but were called off again seven days later so that the guild could conduct a strike authorization vote among its members. (The vote passed with 96.3% in favor.) The talks resumed Tuesday, one day after WGA members voted to authorize a strike.
What’s the fight about?
Writers contend that their economic fortunes have declined in recent years as they face shorter seasons with fewer episodes. Once upon a time, a typical network show consisted of 22 to 24 episodes per season. Now that number has dropped to 15 or fewer, especially for cable and streaming shows.
Since writers are paid per episode, take-home pay is dropping. To complicate matters, episodes are taking longer to shoot as TV shows become more cinematic, especially in the cable and streaming spheres. Writers’ pay is being amortized over longer periods of time, effectively lowering their per-week pay.
In the past, writers could count on residual payments from reruns and syndication to see them through tough financial periods. But those markets are shrinking, and the residuals from streaming are far below those of traditional TV.
At the same time, exclusivity clauses prevent writers from working on other shows during a single season, which the guild argues hurts writers’ earning potential.
On the film side, the studios are making fewer movies per year, which means fewer opportunities for writers.
Benefits are also a major source of discord. Writers are asking entertainment companies to increase their contributions to the guild’s health plan, which has experienced deficits in recent years.
What will the strike mean?
It all depends on how long a strike lasts.
The most immediate effect would be felt in the late-night comedy shows, which rely on writers to come up with topical jokes about the day’s news.
Shows currently in production might also be affected because staff writers are frequently called on to rewrite during shooting. While production for the fall TV season isn’t set to begin until this summer, cable and streaming companies are shooting series year-round.
Movie production will be affected less because there is more flexibility around cinematic release dates. But experts say Hollywood blockbusters that are locked in to a release for the 2018 summer or Christmas seasons could feel the pinch.