Adam McKay, Tina Fey and David Simon are among more than 400 writers urging MSNBC to negotiate a “fair deal” with WGA East for Network’s editorial

In a show of solidarity, more than 400 film and television writers — including Adam McKay, David Simon, Tina Fey, Alfonso Cuarón, Lilly Wachowski, John Waters and Alan Zweibel — signed a petition asking MSNBC for a fair initial contract to negotiate with the WGA East for the cable news network’s news writers and producers.

The petition comes after MSNBC last month fired 30 of the guild’s 300 members who worked there – a move the guild said it was “extremely frustrated and disappointed”. See the petition and full list of signatories here.

“We are members of the Writers Guild of America who write and create shows for NBCU and other studios,” reads the petition, which is signed “In Solidarity.” “We support our guild co-writers and co-producers at MSNBC who have been struggling for over a year to get a decent first deal. They are fully committed to the important work they do for NBCU and deserve to be paid and treated fairly.

“If they work long hours or long weeks, if they work the night shift, or if they are willing to write and produce in a short amount of time, if they fulfill the duties of people in higher pay grades, they deserve a supplement.

“Our colleagues are fighting for what we all need: meaningful protection in the sense of a collective agreement. We call on management to recognize the contributions of Guild-represented employees to MSNBC by agreeing to a fair contract that includes the pay and protections they deserve.”

WGA East Executive Director Lowell Peterson said, “We are proud to represent the people who write comedy, drama and news for NBCU. We will continue to fight at the negotiating table for a contract that meets the real needs and aspirations of our people at MSNBC. We are a union.”