Another Writers’ Strike May Be Looming — Report
Ten years later, we may be headed for another writers’ strike. Deadline reported last week that, after the last of 11 meetings held by Writers Guild of America members before new negotiations, one TV writer joked that said group is “always ready for a strike…Television is in another Golden Age and the companies are reaping record profits, but writers aren’t sharing in that. Our incomes are going down, so it’s going to be a tough negotiation.” Now, the New York Post warns readers to “get ready for fewer new episodes of your favorite TV series.”
“We’re hearing Hollywood agents far and wide are bracing for another writers’ strike,” the article continues. The most recent WGA strike began in November 2007 and lasted 100 days, ending in February of 2008; many high-profile shows were either delayed or featured shorter seasons as a result, including “30 Rock,” “Friday Night Lights” and “Lost.” The union negotiates a new contract every three years, and it seems like the latest round of talks isn’t expected to go well.
“The Writers Guilds of America, West and East, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced they will begin formal contract negotiations March 13. The current Minimum Basic Agreement expires May 1,” the WGA said in a statement.
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