#WGAStrong

[dduane]

Hello.

I've seen you posting detailed information about the WGA strike and wondered if you had any suggestions as to how those of us not directly involved can show our support for the Union?

Okay, bearing in mind that all this is entirely subjective at the moment (and so far lacking any more useful input from other sources): a few thoughts.

This will be my third WGA strike. (My first one was in 1988, just after I'd made my first live action sale—s1e6 of ST:TNG). And the thought keeps occurring to me at the moment that this time out, there's a potentially gamechanging player on the field that wasn't there before: truly pervasive social media.

(Adding a cut here, because this goes on a bit...)

In 2007, social media as we now understand it was still in its cradle. Now, though, those of us who're striking can make our voices much more widely heard. And so can those of us who're not, but just want to show solidarity. Last time, the AMPTP was able to do pretty much what it wanted without the public noticing or having even a medium-profile way to make their feelings known. But this time? Not so much.

So as an otherwise uninvolved person who wants to show solidarity, I'd start with something seemingly low-value. If I was on Twitter, I'd start routinely tweeting about the strike and my support for it—not obsessively, just persistently, a couple/few times a week—using the Twitter hashtags that are gaining ground even now, such as #DoTheWriteThing (and of course #WGAStrike). I would make sure I was following @WGAEast and @WGAWest, to keep an eye on what's going on.

Additionally: I would start politely, but repeatedly—again, maybe once or twice a week at least, and not stopping—tweeting the various major players in the AMPTP, especially the streamers: Amazon, Netflix, Hulu et al. I would start suggesting that their current attitude toward the WGA's contract negotiations is not only unrealistic but potentially (for the AMPTP) bad for business. (And self-destructive, too, as if this goes on much longer in this vein, they'll be seemingly eagerly casting themselves as The Baddies.) I would suggest that their bad behavior, if not amended by them coming to the table to bargain in good faith, might start affecting both my interest in their shows and my willingness to keep paying unreasonable people for access to them.

I should emphasize here that so far there've been no formal calls from anyone for boycotts or subscription cancellations. For the moment, this strikes me as wise. The point for WGA-friendly observers, right now, would be to keep what's happening to the writers visible: to keep bringing it up: to refuse to allow it to be swept under the rug. The "They only want two cents on the dollar!" angle seems potentially useful the more it's repeated. The point is to keep the repetition going: to make it plain, day after day, that the other side's being not just unreasonable, but greedy. Day after day, and week after week, and (if necessary: please Thoth may it not be...) month after month.

And tweeting is hardly all that can be done. Email is cheap and easy. But actual letters, written on actual paper and mailed, can still create a surprising amount of attention in a corporate office. (The saying in TV used to be that for every person who actually writes in about an issue, there are ten, or a hundred, who feel the same way but never got around to it.) Write letters to all the AMPTP members' CEOs, and make your feelings on the WGA's core demands politely plain. ...Especially when those CEOs collectively made almost three-quarters of a billion-with-a-B dollars in salaries last year, when many of the writers working on their shows can't afford rent.

After that: here's another thought, a little more physical. If by chance you're in an area where one or the other of the Guilds are picketing: turn out and support them! Honk when you pass: and if you're interested, show up and offer to walk the picket lines with them. These things get noticed. (In 2007 a bunch of us, both Guild members and non-, caused significant astonishment by turning out to picket AMPTP members' offices in Dublin.)

...Obviously not all that many people are going to be positioned, in terms of location or their own work and time commitments, to show up physically. But online? Find ways to keep this issue visible. The AMPTP wants this to go quiet, wants people to get bored with it, wants people to find reasons to blame the writers. They've tried spinning the story that way before. Don't let them pull that shit. Find ways to back those who're calling them on that, publicly. They do respond to this kind of thing (though they may strenuously deny it). If enough attention continues to be paid by the general public, they will blink—if sometimes excruciatingly slowly, as Disney began to blink over the dispute tagged #DisneyMustPay.

As viewers, and as viewers who pay for subscriptions to things, we far outnumber them. Help be a part of making the AMPTP understand that this quest for a truly fair deal is not going to go away. And the longer they try to act like the Guild's negotiation positions are beneath their notice, the more it's going to hurt them, and the stupider and greedier it's going to make them look.

...That's all I've got for the moment, as I need some lunch. :) ...But I hope this has helped. And thanks for your concern, and your desire to stand in solidarity with us! It's so welcome. :)

ETA: here's a link to the Guild's social media toolkit, for those who'd like to change PFPs or icons, etc., to show their support.

#Writers Guild strike #DoTheWriteThing #WGAStrong

[theliterarywolf]

Also, fuck me, why does it keep feeling, more and more, that COVID really just opened all these studios/streaming-services to treat the people actually making their shows and movies like crap but still rake in record profits.

Cut that shite out; holy fuck. You have to spend money in order to keep money flowing, assholes! And a good chunk of that is -- GASP -- paying the people who make your shit.

#WGAStrong #wga strike

[mishacollins]

Hey, Assbutts! We got work to do… Join me, fearless leader Eric Kripke, and the cast, writers, and crew of the paranormal-show-that-must-not-be-named for a #(Redacted)Family reunion on the picket lines!

#misha #mishacollins #(Redacted)Family reunion #SAGAFTRAStrong #wgastrong #picket

[suzerainoflegend]

🌲🌳🌴TREE LAW 🌴🌳🌲

#wga #wgastrong #wga support #wga solidarity #wga strong #wga strike #tree law #universal studios #sag aftra #sag strike #sag solidarity #sag strong

[iww-gnv]

Late in the day on Sunday, September 24 — after 146 days of labor stoppage, the longest strike in Hollywood history by a long shot — the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents Hollywood’s writers, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), an association of Hollywood’s largest studios and production companies, announced that an agreement had been reached. On Tuesday, September 26, the union’s leadership announced that they’d voted to end the strike and recommend the membership vote in favor of ratifying the contract.

#wga #wga strong #wgastrong #wga strike #wga strike 2023 #hot strike summer #union strong #hollywood strike #news

[lady-griffin]

It was very weird for me to go from Tumblr where I’ve been seeing a lot of good, supportive, and informative takes about the Writers’ Strike – where even the one or two posts I’ve seen being critical, still had a nuanced and sympathetic view.

To go to a community post on YouTube, where I saw some truly god awful, spiteful, uninformed, and just overall condescending takes on the subject.

And basically I was forced to remember that anti-union is not an uncommon stance at all, even by those who shouldn’t be anti-union in the slightest. Also, there are these dominanting ideas in our culture and society like - 

‘Someone else has it worse than you, so shut up’

‘You’re not owed a job that pays you well’

‘You should be thankful for what you have and work harder to get a “better” and even different job if you want more, rather than just demanding it.’

‘You don’t deserve that (and by that, they mean things like dignity, respect, or any kind of good paying job)

And I’m just like...

Wow, you guys really drank up that capitalistic Kool-Aid, didn’t you?

There’s just so many things to unpack and criticize, but I can’t help but focus on this somewhat ambiguous idea of ‘it’s wrong for writers to do this, when other workers, like teachers and nursers are being treated unfairly today.’

Do you think you can only care about one thing?

Do you think only some workers deserve to be treated fairly and earn a living wage?

Do you think there’s only x amount of strikes that can happen in a given year?

Or that there’s a limit to how many unions can exist?

Do you think that writers receiving protections or more that what they are currently being given will somehow impact how teachers and nurses are being paid or treated?

It’s weird and beyond stupid that you’re bringing up other workers being treated unfairly as a reason for why this strike is bad.

Also, I’m not sure what you think the WGA can exactly do for nurses or teachers.

I’m still honestly very annoyed and even angry about this one stupid comment I saw - “Just use ChatGPT”

And yeah... 

I forgot how strong and stupid anti-union rhetoric can be, as well as annoyingly pervasive. 

#writers strike #Wgastrong #wga #writers guild of america #pro union #wga strike

[911whatsyourgratitude]

Want to Support the Writers' Strike But Don't Know How?

Here are some things you as a fan or hopeful screenwriter can do to help with the writers' strike.

Please do watch shows when they air!

This material has already been created and negotiated which means the writers get paid from that viewership. For those who don't remember the writers' strike in 2007, many networks bought the rights to rerun seasons of an old series such as when CBS aired the first season of Dexter.

Repost and share videos and content on social media from the WGAWest and WGAEast accounts!

As many of you know, the more traction a post gets the more likely it is to reach other people.

Sign as many WGA affiliated petitions as you can!

It's easy! Many of them are online.

Fans are welcome to come to the picket lines!

Everyone is welcome to attend however many picket lines have an RVSP link. All pre WGA Writers are encouraged to come (a lot of writers joke that it's a networking opportunity!)

Not in LA or New York? That's okay!

Several cities in states such as Illinois, Georgia, North Caroline, etc also have picket lines.

Raise hell with the studios!

Many networks have material to appear like they aren't affected by the strike but most of that material is either reality series, game shows, and anything else that was pressured into being finished before the strike was officially declared. Flood their social media or write letters!

Prepare Yourself and Remember

Many studios are going to start releasing to the press that production for your favorite shows are going to be pushed even more because of the strike. Prepare yourself for that reality. While it is sad, everyone deserves a livable wage and work place protections. Our favorite shows wouldn't exist without the writers.

You can see more what the WGA is demanding on the instagram pages linked above.

#wga strike #wgastrong #wga strong #support the wga #wga #911 on fox #911 on abc #tv: 911 #911verse #evan buckley #eddie diaz #bobby nash #maddie buckley #chimney han #athena grant #hen wilson #madney #buddie #henren #bathena #911 writing team #writers strike #wga strike 2023 #writers guild of america

[clonehub]

HELL YEAH

#ch posts #wgastrong #writers strike

[jesslockwood]

I feel like Lockwood & Lucy share a brain cell that George spared for them.

#lockwood and co #save lockwood and co #anthony lockwood #lucy carlyle #george karim #renew lockwood and co #locklyle #wga strong #wgastrong

[blanketforcas]

#wgastrong #destiel

[writergeekrhw]

WGA STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE

In case anyone was wondering how I'll be voting in the upcoming WGA SAV...

I mean...

Less cheekily, I do believe the things we're asking for are necessary to protect the future of our profession and the corporations won't give us anything without a huge turn-out and high approval percentage for a strike authorization. This is a heat check. They're wondering, as usual, how crazy are we? Will we really burn this house down if we don't get what we need?

And there's only one answer to that. Because if someone is trying to push you around, and they pause to ask you...

The correct response, of course, is...

If you're a WGA writer and you want to talk about why you should vote YES for the SAV, pm me.

#WGA #WGA Strike Authorization Vote #Union #Rom #Sisko #unionstrong #WGAstrong #tv writing #showbiz

[dduane]

#WGAStrong

[theliterarywolf]

'Oh, Studios/Streaming Services are looking into AI~ Nothing's going to change so the writers should just go back to work~'

'Oh, School Districts are just going to hire more substitutes to compensate~ Nothing's going to change so teachers should just go back to work~'

'Oh, travelers will just book flights on other airlines anyway~ Nothing's going to change so the pilots and flight staff should just go back to work~'

'Oh, Starbucks will just keep hiring skeleton-crews to compensate the difference~ Nothing's going to change so Starbucks employees should stop whining and go back to work~'

... This is why other countries laugh at the U.S. whenever the topic of strikes are brought up because, apparently, holier-than-thou cynicism beats out the little voice in the back of people's heads that says 'You know, maybe working people should be able to live decently and not have to decide between gas and food'.

#wgastrong #wga strike

[stackee]

#wga strike #wgastrong #writers guild of america #fans4WGA #DoTheWriteThing #writers strike

[quietborderline]

Friendly reminder that if you are able you can support the strikers of the entertainment community by donating to one or more of these:

The Entertainment Community Fund - TV/Film Workers The Entertainment Community Fund - Support Workers The Motion Picture & Television Fund The Union Solidarity Fund (more info on them here) The SAG-AFTRA Foundation (You can specify your donation be used for Emergency Assistance) Groceries For Writers

You can even donate snacks & things for the picket lines!

#SAGAFTRAstrong #WGAstrong #qb speaks #I guess

[iww-gnv]

The writers strike has hit Day 100 – the point at which the last walkout by the Writers Guild of America ended in 2008. It’s a significant juncture, one that Chris Keyser and David A. Goodman, who co-chair the WGA’s negotiating committee, call a “milestone of shame” for the AMPTP. It also comes five days after the latest attempt to get both sides back to the negotiating table. That meeting between the WGA West’s Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman and her General Counsel Tony Segall and AMPTP boss Carol Lombardini and her team wasn’t as productive as many had hoped. While the WGA, late on Friday night, revealed that there was “no agreement” on resuming negotiations for a new MBA and, in a caustic note to members said that the “AMPTP playbook continues”, there were reasons to be more optimistic than at first glance. If you ignore the furor around press blackouts and trade leaks, the WGA stated that it was “willing to engage with the companies and resume negotiations in good faith to make a fair deal for all writers”.

#news #wga #wga strong #wgastrong #do the write thing #pay the writers #wga strike #hollywood strikes #hot strike summer