While the decision does not guarantee a work stoppage will occur, the referendum will gauge union members’ willingness to walk this spring.
The Writers Guild is taking its first step toward a potential industry strike.
The union has set a strike authorization vote, with polls opening April 11, the guild announced to members on Monday. While a strike authorization vote does not ensure a writers’ strike will occur, it does gauge members’ willingness to cease work if the union deems a strike necessary. If a large portion of members supports a potential strike, that could improve writers’ leverage in their ongoing talks with the studios and streamers.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which bargains on behalf of studios, for comment.
A strike could only begin after the writers’ contract with the studios and streamers expires on May 1. The WGA has struck six times in its history and is generally considered the industry union that is most willing to walk in negotiations with employers. As such, rumors have been swirling in the industry for months that, due to the major changes that writers are seeking to implement this year, they will strike this spring.
In an interview prior to negotiations, chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman responded to the widespread speculation, saying, “We’re going go into negotiations with the goal of making a deal, and it’s got to be a deal that addresses writer issues.” She added, “This is a union that’s willing to take action when necessary.”
The writers’ last strike occurred in 2007-2008 amid a heated battle with studios over “new media” (which then meant distribution over the Internet, iPods and clel phones). Lasting 100 days, the work stoppage cost the California economy an estimated $2.1 billion, according to the Milken Institute, and took a toll on writers’ compensation, overall deals and industry relationships. At the same time, many writers believe it was a crucial battle that gave WGA members an early foothold in “new media” platforms, which, later, contractually came to include streaming video on demand (SVOD).
Whether this year’s negotiations will produce such an impasse remains unclear. Employers and labor began negotiations on March 20. This new development may accelerate the conversation when both sides reconvene for joint discussions.