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2023 Hollywood labor disputes

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2023 Hollywood labor disputes
WGA and SAG-AFTRA members marching in unison,
June 2023
DateMay 2 – November 9, 2023 (2023-05-02 – 2023-11-09)
(6 months and 7 days, or 191 days)
Location
Caused by
Goals
  • Pay raises for screenwriters and actors
  • Safeguarding of jobs against advancements in AI technology
Methods
Resulted in
  • WGA tentative agreement reached on September 24 and strike ended on September 27; contract ratified on October 9.[1]
  • SAG-AFTRA tentative agreement reached on November 8 and strike ended on November 9; contract ratified on December 5.[2]
Parties
Lead figures

Carol Lombardini[4]

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

From May 2 to November 9, 2023, a series of long labor disputes within the film and television industries of the United States took place, mainly focused on the strikes of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. It was the second time two Hollywood labor unions were striking simultaneously — the first having occurred in 1960 – and as such, the American news media named this phenomenon the "Hollywood double strike",[6][7][8] and surpassed the 1960 dual strike as well.[9][10] By November 9, 2023, both the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA had reached tentative deals with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and ended their strikes.[2]

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".[11] 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.[12][13][14]

On September 24, 2023, WGA suspended picketing upon reaching a tentative agreement.[15] Following a vote, the union leadership voted to end the strike on September 27, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. PDT.[1] On November 8, 2023, SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative agreement and the strike ended on November 9, at 12:01 a.m. PDT.[2]

Primary issues

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The primary issues causing labor disputes 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.[16] 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 several layoffs for writers, animators, actors, and other positions in the creative department. These layoffs were 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 as a cheap, low-end way to save money on bare-minimum costs, such as basic residuals and music licensing, but Apple and Amazon remain outliers.

Declared strikes

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Writers Guild of America strike

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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[17]—and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). It began at 12:01 a.m. PDT on May 2, 2023.[18][19] 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.[20][21]

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.[22] The strike ended on September 27, 2023, at 12:01 AM PDT.[1]

SAG-AFTRA strike

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Main article: 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike

The 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike was a 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,[23][24] and on September 25, the results showed the authorization passed with 98.32% voting in favor.[25]

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.[26][27]

On November 8, 2023, SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative agreement and the strike ended on November 9[28][29][30] The deal was approved with 78.33% support, with a 38.15% turnout.[31][32] 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",[33] while Business Insider noted that the disputes are among a recent trend of a stronger labor movement.[34]

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."[35] The article and quote received attention and backlash from both Hollywood outlets, such as Paramount Global's Entertainment Tonight, and non-Hollywood outlets, such as Vanity Fair and the New York Daily News.[36][37][38]

Reactions to the strikes

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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, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, President of the United States Joe Biden, Vermont U.S. senator Bernie Sanders, and Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass all issued statements of support after SAG-AFTRA announced their intention to join WGA in striking.[39] 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",[33] while Business Insider noted that the disputes are among a recent trend of a stronger labor movement.[34]

Productions impacted

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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 strikes led to a lack of ongoing film and television productions, which resulted in some studios having to close doors or reduce staff.[40][41][42] The strike also jeopardized 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 (of non-delivery), thus saving the studios millions of dollars.[43][44] In addition, numerous other areas within the global entertainment ecosystem were impacted by the strike action.[45] Examples include the VFX industry[46] and prop making studios.[47]

See also

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Notes

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  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

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Writers Guild Strike to End Wednesday: Leadership Votes to Conclude Historic Work Stoppage". The Hollywood Reporter. September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Kilkenny, Katie (November 9, 2023). "STRIKE OVER: Actors Make a Deal With Studios After 118 Days". hollywoodreport.com. Hollywood Report. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "Council | Writers Guild of America, East". Writers Guild of America, East. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  4. ^ "Carol Lombardini". Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "The 2023 SAG-AFTRA Strike: A Significant Labor Dispute in Hollywood". Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ "It's A Deal! WGA & AMPTP Reach Tentative Agreement To End Writers Strike; Picketing Suspended". Deadline. September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ "Endorsements". www.wgacontract2023.org. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "WGA on Strike". WGAContract2023.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ "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.
  22. ^ "Deal! WGA, AMPTP Reach Historic Contract Agreement to End 146-Day Writers Strike". Variety. September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  23. ^ "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.
  24. ^ 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.
  25. ^ Robb, David (September 26, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Members Vote Overwhelmingly To Authorize Strike Against Video Game Industry". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (September 26, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA & Studios Could Meet Within Days". Deadline. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  28. ^ Patten, Dominic (November 8, 2023). "The Strike Is Over! SAG-AFTRA & Studios Reach Deal On New Three-Year Contract". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Maddaus, Gene (November 8, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Approves Deal to End Historic Strike". Variety. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  30. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (November 8, 2023). "SAG-AFTRA Reaches Tentative Agreement With Studios, Ending Actors Strike". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  31. ^ "SAG-AFTRA Members Approve 2023 TV/Theatrical Contracts Tentative Agreement". SAG-AFTRA. December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  32. ^ Sounders, Angel (December 6, 2023). "Actors Approve SAG-AFTRA Deal That Ended 118-Day Strike: 'It's an Enormous Victory'". People. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Wilkinson, Alissa (July 13, 2023). "Hollywood's historic double strike, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  34. ^ a b 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.
  35. ^ 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.
  36. ^ 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.
  37. ^ 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.
  38. ^ 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.
  39. ^ 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.
  40. ^ "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.
  41. ^ "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.
  42. ^ 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.
  43. ^ 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.
  44. ^ 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.
  45. ^ 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.
  46. ^ "'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.
  47. ^ "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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