Why Hollywood Writers Are Striking

We spoke to writers behind hit shows like Abbott Elementary and Containment to understand why Hollywood TV & movies writers are on strike.

Television movie writers just voted to authorize a strike that could shut down Hollywood. Writers are making less than they were 10 years ago, while corporate profits have skyrocketed. They say that streaming has killed Hollywood, and they're not standing for it.

Members of the Writers Guild of America voted overwhelmingly, by a historic 97.85% margin, to authorize a strike. If WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers don't reach a new contract deal by May 1, writers could call for a walkout.

#hollywood #entertainment #entertainmentnews #tv #television #movie #movies #netflix #hbomax #hulu #warnerbros #union #strike #labor
-----

[Krranski]

Do it, strike! No working people in any industry should tolerate this behavior. We're with you!

[theprecipiceofreason]

I'm so ready for a writer's strike. Every time this happens, things get real weird. Careers, story arcs, actors, network plans and pet projects get terminated.

[Liz-wzdh]

Corporations always find a way to screw the very people who create the products they sell. It's amazing they never learn their lesson.

[williamlloyd]

All I can contribute is that without quality writers, series are useless.

[chihuahuasrule]

Networks like Netflix, Disney +, HBO wouldn't be where they are without these talented people. The writers need to strike again and fight for their rights. The writers have the power in this situation, not the corporate heads.

[WelfareChrist]

Anyone else remember how genuinely awful late night and the daily show got during the last strike? It was pretty eye opening for me personally, every single one of those shows became literally unwatchable over night

[stephm.]

Several shows I really enjoyed were axed during the last writers' strike. It's frustrating as hell that NO industry just does the right thing without being forced.

[aaronmcmillen]

The last time this happened we had the onslaught of *reality* TV.

Please, for the love of all that's holy, GIVE THE WRITERS THEIR DUE! STOP BEING GREEDY!

[elihan]

Just got notified. 97% voted to strike if no deal is reached. Let's go.

For the public, sit in solidarity and break out the books, comics, and video games.

[julietfischer]

Even before streaming, scriptwriters weren't getting paid very well. Now it's absurd.

[adriansandlin]

Writers are the backbone of a show. To mistreat them is to ensure your company's downfall. I support this strike 100%.

[josephteller]

I stood on a picket line the last time, 2007, when the Writers Guild of America went on strike. Its' probably time for it to happen again, and I wish the best for those who stand up against the corporate greed that is causing this ever diminishing rate of returns for creatives who make the shows possible.

[cliveklg]

It is unconciable that these studios are making that much money, and at the same time are nickel and diming writers on fair compensation that would barely touch those billions. I don't care if my favorite shows shut down for a time because writers are on strike. If you have to strike, do it.

[jimk]

‘You don’t work at the same job for 10 years and make less money than you did when you first started doing it.” Welcome to capitalism. Every year that inflation is higher than the cost of living raises given by corporate, this is exactly what happened. I doubled my salary over the last 16 years but was still making 4k less per year in disposable income on my last day than I was on my first day 16 years earlier.

[iwansays]

I love how the payment is called residuals. It feels like throwing food scraps at some stray dogs. It makes me want to spiral down further into madness.

[Elyfairy]

As an actress I can say with certainty that the most import part of storytelling is the WRITING. If the writing isn’t good, it doesn’t matter how amazing the acting or directing is. A good story starts with the writers.

[georginatoland]

I abandoned network TV more than a decade ago. I’m not happy shelling out money for every streaming service that has the quality shows I enjoy, but some of that subscription money should go to the writers. Not to a greedy CEO that packs writers into a script-producing meatgrinder and pays those writers internship wages.

I support a strike. A LONG strike.

[lewa]

Hope these writer strikes work out better than the ones in the 2000s where it just lead to the reality tv boom.
Solidarity with all strikers. Screw these ceos just hoarding wealth

[MyReviews_karkan]

Capitalism makes people very creative at ruining each other's lives.

[batitony]

I hate to say this, but if another writers' strike happens, you can be GUARANTEED Hollywood will start to use AI to write scripts more and more frequently than before and do away with writers COMPLETELY. It's scary, sad, and infurating but that's the new directions this is all leading to.

This is not to say they should not strike, they totally should, but I think something else HAS TO happen besides a strike to really make a point.

Maybe the general public going out in support of the writers? Boycotting productions? I don't know...