The people who write things like Are We Done Yet?, Hannah Montana, Saw IV, and the many Laws and Orders came one step closer to not writing those things for the near future. The Writer’s Guild of America’s negotiating committee announced yesterday that they were unanimously recommending a strike. This follows the rank and file union members voting on October 19th, 90.3% in favor of a strike. The actual strike date hasn’t been set, so those iBooks are furiously churning out the latest Santa Clause sequel to keep Tim Allen busy, but it will probably come as early as Monday.
Two panels of WGA leaders need to meet on each coast to give the final strike authorization, which everyone thinks is a done deal. When that happens, the only thing the writers of Shark will be churning out will be signs saying that the producers are greedy bastards. The strike is about money (all strikes are ultimately about money, don’t let anyone tell you differently.) The WGA wants to the producers to pony up more. They key sticking point is reportedly DVD residuals. Writers get a nickel for every DVD sold and want more. Scribes need to get paid, son. Can’t live on no nickel.
In addition to the DVD issue, the producers want to horde all the money that comes from new mediums like streaming video and the like. The producers also want the writers to pay for their own coffee. I made that part up, but the two sides sound pretty far apart. Both are blaming the other, so let’s not bore you with specific quotes on how the WGA is doing everything they can while being shat upon by the producers. Conversely, the producers are more than happy to negotiate, but the WGA are all greedy, rapacious, blood-sucking slugs.
I know it seems like an ape farting on a keyboard could write some of the stuff we see on Two and a Half Men, but this could also lead to walkouts by directors and actors. Both unions will be negotiating with producers in the next year or so and issues being discussed here will undoubtedly be used in those negotiations as well. Currently the Screen Actors Guild is showing solidarity with the WAG, but, of course, the actors won’t actually stop working as well. They ain’t crazy.
