LOS ANGELES (KNX) –Hollywood TV and movie writers returned to the picket lines Monday, nearly a week after the Writers Guild of America announced it was going on strike.
One member told KNX News she’s fighting to ensure her job is not a part of the “gig economy.”
“I worked my way up by being a dog walker and a bartender,” she said. “I've done my fair share of gig economies and I'm fighting right now to make sure that my career is not a gig economy. I hope the people out there know that we're not striking for fancy things. We're just striking for our rights to live, basically.”
The strike was mentioned by many winners at Sunday night’s MTV Movie & TV Awards, including Jennifer Coolidge.
“Almost all great comedy starts with great writers and I just think that as a proud member of SAG, I stand here before you tonight side by side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA that are fighting right now, fighting for the rights of artists everywhere,” said the White Lotus star. .
The ceremony, which was originally supposed to be a live event, was taped in solidarity with the strike. Drew Barrymore also dropped out as host in solidarity.
Also on Sunday, major studios including Warner Bros. Television and Universal Studio Group reportedly sent out letters to writers/producers to say their deals are being suspended, according to Deadline.
Deadline also reports that showrunners are being told by studios that even they still need to do work. The studios who have sent letters to showrunners so far include Disney and HBO.
Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer, told KNX News, “Writers, producers, showrunners can't perform writing services, but they are still required in general under their individual deals to provide producing services and if they don't, they're in breach of their individual contract with the studio.
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One picketer said she doesn’t see showrunners obeying those orders.
“The Duffer brothers just shut down ‘Stranger Things’, which I think was a wonderful move,” she said. “So, I feel like other showrunners will follow suit.”
In addition, to “Stranger Things,” many productions paused due to the strike, including HBO’S “Hacks” and Marvel’s upcoming “Blade” reboot.
Another picketer said she sees it as contradictory to what studios have previously said.
“I doubt it very seriously when they tell showrunners to show up for work, they're actually kind of telling on themselves about how many writers need to be on set,” she said. “They told us that writers need to be on set and yet now they do.”
Negotiations have not continued since the strike began.
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