LAist: Photo Essay: WGA Strike at Fox

Whoathere

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:09:25 -0800

I am a writer, and wanted to clarify one point. This strike isn't about writers claiming that we are "poor". Simply that, as creatives, we should get part of the profit share for things that we do write. I have written webisodes which I was not paid for and those were put online with commercials that the big media conglomerates made money on. And I don't think that is fair. That is what this strike is about...being fair. Not one writer I know is claiming to be poor...they are claiming that with concerns to "new media" the contract is not fair. And since the future is new media it will perhaps be the sole way writers will eventually make an income. I do, however, understand the point made by Lindsay William-Ross. Teachers should be paid more...that is a whole other issue that I am in complete support of. And under her circumstances I understand her point of view and respect them.

Rainlillie

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:18:11 -0800

If the writers want a bigger piece of the pie, let them pay for the pie tin. If the show crashes and burns (ala loses $), let the writers cough up a bit of their own $ so the studios don't cover the loss on their own.

Johnny

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:22:24 -0800

The entertainment industry has always been a sticky subject for me. I've seen first hand what happens on the inside. The waste, egos and nepotism is outrageous. Granted the whole industry is not like that but the top, where everyone tries to achieve, is definitely ugly. Unless you fix the pervasive elite attitude at the top, the middle and the entry level will always take the brunt of the crap.

futureperfect

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:48:44 -0800

"The Writers Guild of America's annual report shows that among its members, the median wage in 2003 was $93,482. The top quarter made $226,787 and the bottom quarter earned $32,652. Part of the reason for the high pay is that to qualify for the WGA, writers must have sold a certain amount of work to a guild-signatory." i think this also accounts for part-time and freelance writers. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_50_27/ai_n15976579

csharp7

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:04:29 -0800

Here's the thing, labor unions exist so that employees have some leverage against their employers. Employers who would otherwise hold every card - especially in an industry like this one that everyone and their mother wants in on. Unions like WGA, DGA, SAG and IATSE keep trained and proven professionals in their jobs and prevent the studios from hiring people who will work for next to nothing, just to work in movies. The writers feel, and rightly so, that if they give in on this issue of compensation for intellectual property (property that, without them, wouldn't exist in the first place for studios to make money off of) they will be in a poor bargaining position in the future. This is not just about getting a bigger piece of the pie - this is about standing up for principles and decent respectful treatment, and as a SAG member - I fully support these principles. Just look at how the studios treat non-unionized labor (such as PAs and non-union background) if you want to see what conditions would devolve to without collective bargaining. Go writers!

Lindsay William-Ross

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 07:56:50 -0800

This situation has me pretty upset, and almost surprised at my own vehement objection to the strike, considering I am a fan of unions, protests, striking, and activism as a method to bring about change, as well as being a writer. But as someone who makes near-poverty wages as an educator in the CSU system, it turns my stomach to hear about and see people bring an industry (an industry that the American public pays into with movie tickets, dvd sales and so on) to a grinding halt so that they can get a bigger piece of the pie. The writers have been paid for their work, and they enjoy the benefits of building a resume, making contacts, getting awards, and having their name on the credits. It's a talent-based job--and one that no one is making them do--and some may make more than others; this is a far cry from those who strike because of absue, oppression, or because they are being taken advantage of because they are unskilled and perhaps uneducated. Much like the controversies around payment for music downloading, obviously the industry has to catch up with the times and find a way to be fair and equitable, but what writer signs on to a project without thinking it will go to dvd or be available online? If they are so morally opposed to that, then a) don't take the job or b) get another kind of job. For the first time in recent memory, I drove strikers yesterday...and I didn't honk in support. I wish I could stop working so that I could demand that everytime in the future one of my students correctly shapes and argument or uses a semi colon properly I get a check for a dollar, since that's the work I put in.

hooray

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:06:06 -0800

"Working class; (ca. 30%) "People who are less skilled than members of the middle class and work at highly routinized, closely supervised, manual and clerical jobs. Their work provides them with a relatively stable income sufficient to maintain a living standard just below the mainstream."[6] Incomes in 2005 would have ranged from $10,000 to $27,500 for individuals and $20,000 to $50,000 for households." WGA writers make an average of 200k. Let's not diminish their position and cause a backlash against their worthy cause by romanticizing them as victims of poverty, as this post does. This post is hilarious, but isn't going to help anyone. Nice designer glasses, "working poor"!

microdol

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:34:37 -0800

I guess if I make a million bucks a year, I better drive a cheap chinese car and get all my clothes at the second-hand store, that'll keep 'em guessing !

Tony Pierce

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:08:26 -0800

blandlife, you can tell the incomes of people by looking at them on a website? go thee to the circus immediately! theres a sideshow with your name on it!

blandlife

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:50:36 -0800

A decent living? How come no one in those pictures looks like they don't earn a decent living.

Kevin Robinson

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:57:43 -0800

Rhetoric like this could be why the producers don't want to fork over any more dough. I thought the Company didn't want to fork over more cash because they are a bunch of greedy motherfuckers. Strikes are always fun the first few days. It's exciting to stick together and stand up with your friends. The real challenge comes after a few weeks, when people are tired, broke, and a little unsure if this thing will work. I hope the writers win. Even though they aren't autoworkers or carpenters, they deserve a decent living and some dignity in their jobs.

Rainlillie

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:22:10 -0800

Don't realize how important good writing is until it's gone. It's been gone for a few years. All the studios do is remake old tee vee shows/movies and throw them out there.

tykeCjohnson

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:19:31 -0800

Like your slave and peasent brethren before u, fight on. And if u get weak at heart, just think of the blood on the factory floors and know that someone just like u, has gone through the same struggle before. Tape to ward off splinters and all.

HeathBiter

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:15:02 -0800

coolteechur - I know it's hard to believe, but the average guild member is middle class, and relies heavily on the benefits that the WGA has fought for over the years. sofubi - anyone is welcome on the picket line. I don't think there's a better way to show your support than to come by and say hello. If you'd like, you can even go to wga.org and sign up for a specific strike spot. We'd be honored to have you.

fredcamino

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:53:31 -0800

you dont realize how important good writing is until it's gone :( may this strike be swift but effective for the writers. godspeed and give 'em hell.

Coolteechur

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:37:46 -0800

Working class writers???? WTF??? Rhetoric like this could be why the producers don't want to fork over any more dough.

ben bang

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:20:06 -0800

Write the networks/studios. Join the picket lines!

sofubi

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:15:15 -0800

What can non-writer folks do to support the WGA strike?