The movie and TV industries are in desperate need of someone to pen a Hollywood ending.
Over 96 of the members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted to authorize a strike against production companies, the union announced Monday evening.
Though negotiations are set for Tuesday, the vote still paves the way for a looming work stoppage set for May 2 if an agreement can’t be reached. Considering the last writers’ strike lasted for 100 days—between November 5, 2007 and February 12, 2008—a new one could delay or even halt plans for the fall television season and hamper many major tentpole movies already slated for release in the next two years.
“The companies are committed to reaching a deal at the bargaining table that keeps the industry working,” the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said in a statement. “The 2007 Writers’ Strike hurt everyone. Writers lost more than $287 million in compensation that was never recovered, deals were cancelled, and many writers took out strike loans to make ends meet.”
The WGA demands include raises in script fees, an improvement in pay for those working on shows for cable and streaming video on demand outlets, and contributions to a health plan, according to the industry trade Variety.
Read more on the WGA strike situation at Variety.
—RealClearLife
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