Television writers, like most workers in America, deserve predictable working periods. The union’s demands seem entirely reasonable. The AMPTP also indicated to the WGA that it is prepared to improve that offer, but was unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the Guild continues to insist upon.” And management is under pressure as the TV and movie industries face economic pressures that have led to layoffs and budget cuts in an effort to make streaming profitable and sustainable. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”Īccording to the negotiating committee for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), who represent the Hollywood Studios, the union’s “primary sticking points are ‘mandatory staffing,’ and ‘duration of employment’ - Guild proposals that would require a company to staff a show with a certain number of writers for a specified period of time, whether needed or not.” According to the AMPTP, they “presented a comprehensive package proposal to the Guild last night which included generous increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals. In a statement from Writers Guild of America leadership, the union said that the studios “have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession.

Opportunities for writers feel like they’re constricting as once-great newsrooms collapse, many companies rely on a force of often-disposable freelancers, and ChatGPT threatens all of our livelihoods.Īt the heart of the conflict between the writers and the studios is the writers’ fairly straightforward desire for some job security – to not be treated like gig workers, and to make writing for television a sustainable career into the future. Writing as a profession feels more precarious than ever (take it from me, a freelance journalist).

Jill Filipovic Courtesy of Jill Filipovic

How high we go on the dark