Writer's Strike

[rogueslayer452]

++ There's an Autumn/Fall-related friending meme happening.

++ The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative deal, as stated in their negotiations update:

What we have won in this contract—most particularly, everything we have gained since May 2nd—is due to the willingness of this membership to exercise its power, to demonstrate its solidarity, to walk side-by-side, to endure the pain and uncertainty of the past 146 days. It is the leverage generated by your strike, in concert with the extraordinary support of our union siblings, that finally brought the companies back to the table to make a deal.

We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.

What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language. And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last “i” is dotted. To do so would complicate our ability to finish the job. So, as you have been patient with us before, we ask you to be patient again—one last time.

[...]

To be clear, no one is to return to work until specifically authorized to by the Guild. We are still on strike until then. But we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing. Instead, if you are able, we encourage you to join the SAG-AFTRA picket lines this week.

Based on this statement, while a deal was struck there needs to be the appropriate business side of things to make sure everything is in proper order, which means that although picketing has halted the strike is not over until officially confirmed by the WGA guild themselves. Which makes sense. Also, this doesn't mean that the strike overall is done, either. SAG-AFTRA are still striking, as are countless of other unions now within the entertainment industry (since recently video game actors have authorized a strike), and as the WGA mentioned above they are actively encouraging their members and anyone else to join in their picket lines in solidarity, too. This success is a step in the right direction, but there's still a long way to go.

Comments

[itsnotmymind]

Thanks for the link to the friending meme!

[rogueslayer452]

You're very welcome. :)

[profiterole_reads]

I am glad that things are working out for the writers. Good luck to the other strikers! Hopefully, it will go well for them too.

[rogueslayer452]

I'm seeing some say that if the WGA has gotten a major win for all of what they've been asking for with their contract, then it most likely will work out for the other unions, as well. I certainly hope so.

[elizalavelle]

Exciting news! I hope the writers got a great deal as that will help other negotiations move along.

[rogueslayer452]

It seems like they did, and I also hope that it does ease the process of the other negotiations going forward.

[cinderlite]

Thanks for linking to the friending meme! I was thrilled to be able to join it!

Hmm, it's interesting. Everywhere I look, I see people rejoicing that the strike is over, and I did think that was kind of fast, but your post puts it into perspective and makes a lot more sense!

[rogueslayer452]

You're welcome!

It's very strange that some are thinking that the strike as a whole is over even when it's written clear as day by WGA themselves that even with the deal the fight isn't over. Although given my observations over the last several months with the lack of people doing their own research and just relying entirely on social media blurbs, it's not entirely surprising. With that being said though, the WGA getting pretty much everything they asked for is hopeful and might be a good sign for SAG and the other unions within the entertainment industry. It was just one hurdle they've jumped. Keep in mind that the WGA were the first to go on strike way back in May, with the others following suit, so hopefully we'll be getting some more progress soon.

[cinderlite]

I hope each of the groups participating get exactly what they want. It sounds like everyone's been getting really shitty deals for years, especially, like, voice actors from what I've heard? Granted, I didn't know how bad it was for the others until recently, so it's likely equally terrible. I'm glad that there is progress, at least though.

I think the reason people are jumping to it being over is because it's disrupting their way of life. Like, I've seen at least three people screaming and celebrating over it because they want the next season of Good Omens so badly. I think they don't look too closely because they don't want to be disappointed.

[rogueslayer452]

It sounds like everyone's been getting really shitty deals for years, especially, like, voice actors from what I've heard?

Oh yes, voice actors especially have been getting shitty ends of the stick for a long time. I keep referencing this, but it's possibly the best way to give a full scale of what VAs have been going through, but there was the 2016-2017 voice actor's strike, and Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray (of Critical Role) gave an excellent rundown during a convention panel of what the strike was about and why it was important. This is the stuff that most people don't think about, not just with voice actors who are often underappreciated in the industry as it is, but just actors and workers overall in the industry that they go through such bullshit and it gets swept under the rug. And it's so easy to label them as "greedy" because our minds have associated with anyone working in the entertainment industry as being rich or well off, when that is definitely not true.

I think they don't look too closely because they don't want to be disappointed.

Which is kind of ironic because companies have been ruining these things by cancelling them anyway, strike or no strike.

[cinderlite]

The only reason I'm aware of the voice actor's plight is because I watch a few of them -- and gaming news! -- on youtube. Time and time again, you see people talking about it. Like the time the original Bayonetta actress was replaced in favor of someone (I believe it was the voice actor for Fem!Shep in Mass Effect) who was willing to take the original price offered... and then she was attacked for accepting when she'd been completely unaware of what had happened. The entire situation had just been completely unfair and unacceptable. Thanks for the links! I'll check those out for sure.

[kissapentu]

Good news for the writers. But yes, still a long way to go in general.

Thanks for the news!

[rogueslayer452]

You're welcome. :)