2023 Hollywood labor disputes

Since May 2, 2023, a series of ongoing labor disputes within the film and television industries of the United States has been taking place, mainly focused on the strikes of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. It is the second time two Hollywood labor unions are striking simultaneously — the first having occurred in 1960 – and as such, the American news media has named this phenomenon the "Hollywood double strike",[5][6][7] and is expected to surpass the 1960 dual strike as well.[8][9]

2023 Hollywood labor disputes
SAG-AFTRA and WGA members marching in unison, June 2023
DateMay 2, 2023 – present (2023-05-02 – present)
(5 months and 23 days, or 176 days)
Location
United States
Primarily Los Angeles and New York City
Caused by
Goals
  • Pay raises for screenwriters and actors
  • Safeguarding of jobs against advancements in AI technology
Methods
Resulted inWriters Guild strike tentative agreement reached on September 24 and strike ended on September 27[1]
Parties
Lead figures

Carol Lombardini[3]

Number
SAG-AFTRA: 160,000+[4]
WGA: 24,000+ (West), 5,000+ (East) (2019)
350+ production companies, streaming services, and broadcast networks

In July, The New York Times predicted that with the actor's union joining, "viewers are likely to notice the effects of the dual walkouts more broadly within the next couple of months".[10] Both labor disputes have caused the largest interruption to the American film and television industries since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[11][12][13]

On September 24, 2023, WGA suspended picketing upon reaching a tentative agreement.[14] Following a vote, the union leadership voted to end the strike on September 27, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. PDT.[1]

Primary issues

The primary issues causing friction between studios and artists in both unions are intellectual property rights, artistic integrity, the lack of residuals from streaming services, and new developments within artificial intelligence and synthetic media technology.[15] The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant disruption to the film and television industries, with many productions being shut down for months. This led to a loss of jobs and income for many workers, including writers and actors, and was exacerbated by the shift to streaming, which has led to a decrease in revenue for traditional media companies, such as television networks and movie studios. As a result, major reductions in the workforce and cancellations of multiple film and television productions were done to save money on basic residuals and music licensing costs, but Apple and Amazon remain outliers.

Declared strikes

Writers Guild of America strike
Main article: 2023 Writers Guild of America strike

The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike was a labor dispute between the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters[16]—and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). It began at 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 2, 2023.[17][18] The strike was the largest interruption to American television and film production since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as the largest labor stoppage the WGA has performed since the 2007–08 strike.[19][20]

Between September 20 and 24, a series of promising negotiations between the WGA and four prominent studio CEOs were held, which ended in a tentative agreement.[21] The strike ended on September 27, 2023 at 12:01 AM PDT.[1]

SAG-AFTRA strike
Main article: 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike

The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike is an ongoing labor strike between actors in the labor union SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP. The strike began at midnight PDT on July 14, 2023, after the SAG-AFTRA's national board of directors held a vote approving the strike. The strike marks the first time that actors have initiated a labor dispute since the 1980 actors strike.

On September 1, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted to send the video game strike authorization vote to its members,[22][23] and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor.[24]

After the WGA and AMPTP reached a tentative agreement September 24, leading to the official end of the WGA strike on September 27, SAG-AFTRA announced that it remains on strike, and called for renewed negotiations with the AMPTP.[25][26]

Reactions to the strikes

The Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, the Actors' Equity Association, UNITE HERE Local 11, the British Actors' Equity Association, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the American Federation of Musicians, Hollywood Basic Crafts, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the Writers Guild of America, East and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists all issued statements of support after SAG-AFTRA announced their intention to join WGA in striking.[27][28][29][30][31] Vox stated that the solidarity shown towards the strikers from other Hollywood unions is extraordinary and "remarkable in contrast to the last strike in 2007",[32] while Business Insider noted that the disputes are among a recent trend of a stronger labor movement.[33]

In July 2023, shortly before SAG-AFTRA declared their strike, Deadline Hollywood reported that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was seeking to use a "divide and conquer" approach among the different Hollywood unions. The article said that the AMPTP would not negotiate with the WGA until October at the earliest and quoted one studio executive as saying, "The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses."[34] The article and quote received attention and backlash from both Hollywood outlets, such as Entertainment Tonight, and non-Hollywood outlets, such as Vanity Fair and the New York Daily News.[35][36][37]

Productions impacted
Main articles: List of productions impacted by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and List of productions impacted by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike

The lack of ongoing film and television productions has resulted in some studios having to close doors or reduce staff.[38][39][40] The strike also jeopardizes long-term contracts created during the media streaming boom when producers were shelling out large sums to creative talent. The big studios can terminate production deals with writers through force majeure clauses after 90 days, saving them millions of dollars.[41][42] In addition, numerous other areas within the global entertainment ecosystem have been impacted by the strike action.[43] Examples include the VFX industry[44] and prop making studios.[45]

See also

Notes
  1. Although Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East are separate organizations, they participate in strike actions as a single entity, as the Writers Guild of America.

References
  1. "Writers Guild Strike to End Wednesday: Leadership Votes to Conclude Historic Work Stoppage". The Hollywood Reporter. September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. "Council | Writers Guild of America, East". Writers Guild of America, East. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  3. "Carol Lombardini". Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  4. "Hollywood Actors Strike: TV and Movie Actors Vote for Biggest Walkout in Four Decades". New York Times. July 13, 2023. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  5. Agence France Presse. "Hollywood 'Double Strike': What It Means". Barron's. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  6. Mason, Melanie; Cadelago, Christopher; White, Jeremy B. (July 12, 2023). "Hollywood strikes are escalating. Los Angeles' mayor is playing it cool". Politico. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  7. Beckett, Lois (July 13, 2023). "Hollywood actors announce strike in first joint action with writers in more than 63 years". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  8. Oliver Darcy (August 31, 2023). "Hollywood hoped the writers strike would end with summer. But a deal remains nowhere in sight". CNN Business. Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  9. Jennifer Liu (August 9, 2023). "Hollywood strikes have already had a $3 billion impact on California's economy, experts say: It's causing 'a lot of hardship'". CNBC. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  10. Koblin, John (July 13, 2023). "What the Hollywood Actors and Writers Strikes Mean for TV and Movies". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  11. "James Cromwell shows support for striking writers on social media". May 23, 2023. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  12. "The 2023 SAG-AFTRA Strike: A Significant Labor Dispute in Hollywood". Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  13. Coyle, Jake (July 17, 2023). "Hollywood plunges into all-out war on the heels of pandemic and a streaming revolution". Washington Post. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  14. "It's A Deal! WGA & AMPTP Reach Tentative Agreement To End Writers Strike; Picketing Suspended". Deadline. September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  15. Whitten, Sarah (July 13, 2023). "Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood". CNBC. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  16. "Endorsements". www.wgacontract2023.org. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  17. Wilkinson, Alissa (May 2, 2023). "Hollywood's writers are on strike. Here's why that matters". Vox. Vox Media. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023. According to the WGA's proposals chart, the guild's proposals would gain the writers about $429 million in total per year. The AMPTP's counter-proposal is an increase of about $86 million per year.
  18. "WGA on Strike". WGAContract2023.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  19. Robb, David (December 20, 2022). "Historically, The WGA Is Overdue For A Strike, With Residuals Again A Key Issue Of Upcoming Talks". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  20. "James Cromwell shows support for striking writers on social media". Style UK. May 23, 2023. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  21. "Deal! WGA, AMPTP Reach Historic Contract Agreement to End 146-Day Writers Strike". Variety. September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  22. "SAG-AFTRA National Board Votes Unanimously to Send Interactive Media (Video Game) Strike Authorization Vote to Members". SAG-AFTRA. September 1, 2023. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  23. Maddaus, Gene (September 1, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Seeks Approval for Second Strike Against Video Game Companies". Variety. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  24. Robb, David (September 26, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Members Vote Overwhelmingly To Authorize Strike Against Video Game Industry". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  25. White, Peter (September 24, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Congratulates WGA On Tentative Deal, Urges Studios To Return To Table With Actors". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  26. D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (September 26, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA & Studios Could Meet Within Days". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  27. Huston, Caitlin (July 13, 2023). "Writers Guild, Directors Guild Send SAG-AFTRA Solidarity Messages as Its Strike Begins". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  28. "DGA Weighs In on Strike: 'Extremely Disappointed' in AMPTP, 'Strongly Supports' Actors and Writers". Yahoo Entertainment. July 13, 2023. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  29. Pedersen, Erik (July 13, 2023). "WGA, DGA, Teamsters & Others Weigh In On SAG-AFTRA Walkout: "Greedy Studios Have Brought This Strike On Themselves"". Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  30. Ramachandran, Naman (July 13, 2023). "U.K. Actors Union Equity to Support SAG-AFTRA Strike by 'All Lawful Means'". Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  31. "BRIEF-WGA Says Pledge To Fully Support SAG-AFTRA As They Strike To Get The Contract They Deserve | Headlines". Devdiscourse. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  32. Wilkinson, Alissa (July 13, 2023). "Hollywood's historic double strike, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  33. Moses, Lucia. "The actors' union will strike alongside film and TV writers, and it could be a nightmare scenario for Hollywood: 'There's going to be no cash flow'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  34. Patten, Dominic (July 11, 2023). "Hollywood Studios' WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  35. Atad, Corey (July 12, 2023). "Hollywood Studio Execs Say 'Endgame' Is To Drag WGA Strike Out Until Writers 'Start Losing Their Apartments' Before Restarting Talks". ET Canada. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  36. Murphy, Chris (July 12, 2023). "Studios Allegedly Won't End Strike Till Writers "Start Losing Their Apartments"". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  37. Ganz, Jami (July 12, 2023). "WGA slams 'union busting' Deadline article as 'studio propaganda' amid writers strike". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  38. "Hollywood strikes have already had a $3 billion impact on California's economy, experts say: It's causing 'a lot of hardship'". CNBC. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  39. "Not coming to a screen near you — viewers will soon feel effects of the writers strike". NPR. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  40. Lee, Benjamin (August 21, 2023). "Show business to no business: how are the strikes hitting Hollywood?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  41. Fuster, Jeremy (May 22, 2023). "Hollywood Writers' Strike: How Both Sides Prepared". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  42. Sperling, Nicole; Barnes, Brooks; Mullin, Benjamin (July 17, 2023). "Labor Day Looms as Crisis Point in Hollywood Stalemate". New York Times. New York, N.Y. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  43. Depillis, Lydia (September 2023). "Impact of Hollywood Strikes on Jobs Goes Beyond the Strikers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  44. "'No one's feeling good': Visual effects industry hit by global challenges as Lucasfilm ends Singapore operations". Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  45. "Businesses reliant on Hollywood suffer as strikes continue". August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
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