Hollywood Rocked After Writers Guild of America Goes on Strike

A view of the Hollywood sign from Los Angeles, Calif. (Tiffany Brannan/The Epoch Times)

Television and film writers went on strike against the top Hollywood studios, including NBC, Paramount, Discovery, Disney, and more, according to a union.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers could not agree on a new contract after the old deal expired at midnight on Monday. As a result, representatives at the union voted to call a strike, going into effect at 12:01 a.m. PST on Tuesday, according to a news release from the union.

Companies that will see impacts include Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony, said the union.

“The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing,” the union wrote. “From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a ‘day rate’ in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”

It marks the first WGA strike since 2007 and 2008. Several nightly and weekly shows relied on reruns during that walkout and canceled production until the dispute was resolved.

The union further said that “picketing will begin tomorrow afternoon” amid reports that several late-night shows, such as the ones hosted by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon, would be halted immediately.

“Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal—and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gain—the studios’ responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing,” the WGA said in a website that included a list of demands.

Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel speak onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 22, 2019. Reports say Kimmel's and Colbert's shows will go dark during the strike. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The union also accused Hollywood production companies of having “broken this business” and have allegedly “taken so much from the very people, the writers, who have made them wealthy.” It also referenced “struggle” because it claims it was “ given no other choice.”

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has said it wants to acquire a mutual agreement with the WGA. The Epoch Times has contacted the Alliance for comment.

“The AMPTP member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods,” the organization told People magazine on Monday. “The AMPTP is willing to engage in discussions with the WGA in an effort to break this logjam.”

All of the top late-night shows, staffed by writers who pen monologues and jokes for their hosts, immediately went dark, reported the Associated Press (AP). NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” CBS’s “The Late Show,” and NBC’s “Late Night” all made plans for reruns throughout the week, the AP reported.

“Everyone, including myself, hope both sides reach a deal. But I also think that the writers’ demands are not unreasonable,” host Stephen Colbert argued on Monday’s “Late Show.”

But at least one late-night show won’t go dark. Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” with host Greg Gutfeld will continue airing new episodes, Fox told the AP on Tuesday.

The WGA strike may only be the beginning. Contracts for both the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the actors union, expire in June. The same issues around the streaming business model will factor into those bargaining sessions. The DGA is set to begin negotiations with AMPTP on May 10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.