For anyone who has been paying even the smallest amount of attention to the news lately, the ongoing Writers Strike by the Writer's Guild of America has been a hot topic. For a whole week now, Hollywood has been virtually shutdown.
The writers probably have many valid points. Perhaps the DVD residuals they are currently recieving aren't completely fair. They also want higher residuals from internet sales of their work. However, I simply do not feel it is worth it to go on strike. What these writers are doing seems to me to be incredibly selfish. They themselves aren't going to lose a lot of money because they still get paid for reruns that are aired. Unfortunately for the vast majority of the blue-collar workers in Hollywood, this isn't the case.
I am talking about the crew members on all of these productions. They aren't a part of the strike, and because of it are finding themselves out of employment.
Unions were created to serve a good purpose. They were meant to give the workers some representation and rights. Through unions, better conditions and wages have sprung from nothing. However, in today's age they seem more aimed at exclusion. Workers are prevented from being hired if they aren't member of the 'union'.
The WGA has a right to strike, but they simply must be far more mindful of their actions. They have to realize that thousands and thousands of people who aren't members of their unions are affected by their actions. The strike to me seems rather selfish.
I wish that both sides would have been more willing to continue negotionating and reach some sort of temporary agreement so productions could continue during the process. Instead, thousands of workers are wondering if they are going to be able to afford their rent and car payments.
I also feel that this strike has only led to actors and actresses trying to gain publicity by "showing support" at the picket line by visiting the strikers for an hour or two. Coincidentally, this creates quite the photo-op.
In a city full of fake people and superficial problems, this strike just seems to be more of the same. It's hurting the people who have nothing to do with it. The result the writers are seeking simply does not justify the strike. They are off on a matter of percentage points for DVD and internet cuts. I think that the strike may just anger the studios who feel that they are being backed unfairly into a corner.
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2 comments:
You raise some good points. I did a story for ATVN the day the strike began, and already catering organizations were telling me they were preparing for layoffs, because productions were shut down and thus, there was nobody to feed. Big picture, this could have HUGE implications for the economy, and on a personal note, it's delaying the premiere of "24" which really ticks me off. But the writers won't budge. One writer for "Grey's Anatomy" told me on camera that they were in it for the long haul, and that they would drain their savings if they had to. So let's hope the studios can find a way to spare some change.
I agree that you highlight some good points about the scope of the strike's impact, but a lot of the issues raised by the strike itself address the way the industry must adapt to changes in technology and new media. I've read that the average TV writer makes anywhere from $75k $200k/year (figures in news articles vary pretty greatly), but studio execs are raking in millions. Maybe it's the Hollywood bigshots who should be thinking about the ripple effects of the strike, not the writers looking to make a decent living.
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