ON TODAY’S LABOR FRONT

     On today’s labor front, we learn that yesterday the Writers Guild of America, WGA, decided to go on strike after their old contract expired, and they failed to negotiate a new one with the Alliance of Motion Picture Producers, AMPTP. It has been 15 years since the WGA went on strike. The key issues are more money and staffing on shows.

     The strike will immediately impact late-night shows such as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, which will close production almost immediately. The International Alliance of Stage Theatrical and StageEmployees, IATSE, who are the film production workers, will refuse to cross picket lines, thereby causing film production in the country to come to a screeching halt.

     Corporate production companies have been enjoying huge profits from the work of the WGA and the IATSE. Parting with any of those profits is always a hard step for the producers. Once again, they will have to be reminded who primes their pump.  

     Our brothers and sisters in both unions don’t like strikes. It means that they are out of work. It means they are not working enough hours to continue qualifying for their health care. It’s hard on union families for paychecks to just abruptly disappear. And no one can accurately estimate how long the producers will take to create an equitable solution. We hope for the livelihoods of our brothers and sisters that it doesn’t take long.