Beginning on May 2, members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), a joint labor union representing writers for film, television, radio and online media, called for a strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The strike came about because the WGA was unable to come to a fair deal with the AMPTP. 

The writers’ reasons for striking include but aren’t limited to increased minimum compensation and residuals, better working conditions and increased contributions to health plans and pensions. Many people have been drawing comparisons to the 2007-2008 WGA strike and the number of movies and shows affected by the strike in terms of quality. 

Personally, I feel that the writers on strike deserve our full support and should be given better treatment for the work they do.

When most people think of the entertainment industry, the first people they think of are the actors and the directors, depending on who they are. The writers of movie and television projects often fall to the wayside regarding recognition for their part in the creative process. 

Part of this recognition should include the realization that the writers who work on our favorite shows and movies are workers who work for a wage and are trying to support themselves and their families. According to a WGA report, the median weekly writer-producer pay has declined by 23%. 

“In addition to falling weekly pay, most writers on streaming shows are earning less per season because of shorter work periods. As the chart below shows, the new ‘typical’ employment for lower- and mid-level writers on a streaming series is 20 to 24 weeks, or only 14 weeks if the room is convened without a series order (ie, a pre-greenlight room),” the WGA said.

The rise of streaming has also contributed to the inequality writers have faced over the past few years. One element of this is mini rooms, similar to standard writers’ rooms, where writers work for 10 to 12 weeks on a show. The main difference now is that the amount of time is reduced to 8 to 10 weeks, along with less pay to do more work. 

As mentioned above, people have drawn comparisons between these recent strikes and the strikes from 2007 and 2008 and how the quality of cinema at the time suffered due to the strike. Some projects that have been delayed include “Euphoria,” “Cobra Kai,” “Stranger Things” and “Abbott Elementary.” While I can see where those people are coming from, I feel that the livelihood of the writers that craft these shows should be of more concern. 

As long as writers continue to receive less than fair wages and work hours, they will always continue to raise their voices and protest, a sentiment that applies to all workers in any field.