For 146 days, writers since May 2nd 2023 decided they were no longer accepting what their jobs had to offer, greatly affecting California’s economy by not working, not writing, or even producing tv shows/movies for the public.
After nearly five months the Writers Guild of America- for short: WGA-and the vital Hollywood studios came to an indefinite agreement that ended the extensive strike.
Los Angeles Times reporters Wendy Lee and Meg James illustrate the details of the arrangement, “The proposed three-year contract, which would still have to be ratified by the union’s 11,500 members, would boost pay rates and residual payments for streaming shows and impose new rules surrounding the use of artificial intelligence.”
The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Chris Keyser, one of the WGA delegates, “and in our proposal, we asked for more, but it became a conversation about numbers and we settled on something in between, and that’s how negotiations work”.
The long-drawn-out strike oughted to gain protection for the writers in their membership, that is exactly what the WGA put forward. Many of the 160,000 members obtained fresh confidence in their position and tasks performed. The strike not only affected writers themselves, but also the streaming of shows and challenges that came up.
Lee and James report, “shorter seasons for streaming shows and fewer writers being hired have cut into guild members’ pay and job stability, making it harder to earn a sustainable living in the expensive media hubs of Los Angeles and New York, guild members have said.”
With many waiting for their favorite shows to continue, behind the scenes producers and writers are struggling to keep their jobs. Writers that are being hired are getting less pay then they would like or expected. Which led to the dreaded long lasting strike that detonated the state’s economy. “Todd Holmes, associate professor of entertainment media management at Cal State Northridge, estimated that the economic damage of the dual strikes on California is about $5 billion,” James and Lee gathered.
California’s economy had a substantial impact as a result of writers and media failing to live up to what everyone wishes. California’s entertainment industry is one of their biggest in state, leaving this exceptional industry in trouble led to economic worry between entertainment’s most valued members. On the other side of the economic stress the state is under, the agreement made by the WGA appeased many.
Following up on the proposed arrangement by the WGA, Melanie Mason published in the article The writers’ strike is over — and California polls are exhaling for POLITICO. Mason interprets the positive impacts. “The breakthrough will help a big chunk of the industry get back to work immediately, and also paves the way for the actors’ union to resolve their own labor standoff.”
Although there’s economic worry in California, WGA’s compliance reassures the entertainment industry. Despite the fact that some details of the proposal are still developing, the WGA board is working to find constructivism effects in each issue. Mason reported that the WGA is assured the proposal will help the industry in more ways than one. “We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional”. Look forward to your favorite tv shows coming back in a blink.
