WGA members support strike authorization

Ryan Martinez, former staff writer at Netflix manifest and a graduate of Warner Bros Television Writers’ Workshop, is a Harvard graduate, a lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve, and a combat veteran who served in the war in Afghanistan. But now he says he’s returning to active duty in the Navy this summer “just to pay the bills,” which is why he’s voting “yes” to authorize a WGA strike.

Many other WGA members including Everything, everywhere, all at once Oscar winner Daniel Kwan is also taking to social media to support the strike authorization vote, which begins Tuesday and runs through April 17.

“I’m voting YES because the state of low and mid-level industry is dire,” Martinez wrote on #WGAStrong, one of the guild’s Twitter accounts. “Like many others, the well dried up after my first staff job, even as a WB alum. And now I’m going back to active duty in the Navy to pay the bills. It shouldn’t be like this.”

Martinez, a credited writer for three episodes of the Netflix series this season, told Deadline it’s working manifest Creator Jeff Rake and his team “was a dream come true, but my husband and I are foster dads and we have a family to support. After a lot of work to finally get going, it was disheartening to see that sustaining a career in the current circumstances is simply impossible.

“So I’ve decided to go on active duty starting this summer to make sure our family can get through this. I am confident that after a new contract there will be more opportunities and I can return to my writing career. But the state of the industry is catastrophic. Lower and middle professions have disappeared. The emergence of mini-rooms and author series that only mention one or two authors in an entire season. And even if you’re a credit, as a staff writer you don’t get a script fee.

“A lot of writers today, especially at the lower level, don’t have the opportunity to produce their episodes on set, which takes away a fundamental element of a writer’s skill set,” he said. “There really needs to be an emphasis on lower-level writers during these negotiations, because even though all writers are treated unfairly by studios that continue to make record earnings and pay executive bonuses, lower-level writers are deeply hurt because the jobs are just. not there. no more for us.”

His view is shared by many other guild members who are pushing for a “yes” vote to allow the strike.

“It’s about writers getting their fair share,” writes Kwan, who won three Oscars last month for best original screenplay, best director and best film. “It’s about maintaining a healthy middle/working class of writers in our industry. It’s about demonstrating our collective power as new technology threatens to erode our influence. Vote YES to allow strikes.”

“If you’re in the WGA, please vote yes for strike authorization,” writes Kirk Rudell, whose numerous writing and production credits include will and grace And American Dad! “No one wants to strike, but those of us who have been doing it for a while have a hundred reasons why it might be necessary.”

“If the vote on November 11^e I vote YES,” wrote veteran comedy writer Susan Hurwitz Arneson. “Here’s a simple reason why. Production budgets are exhausted. Corporate profits increased. Writer’s salary is LOW. There is no movie or TV series unless a writer creates something out of nothing.”

In another tweet, she wrote: “15 years in business and I was paid minimally to run a pre-green light room for a streamer. My income did not increase as I gained experience and additional responsibilities. It has declined. It happens to writers at all levels. It has to stop.”

“It’s important to remember that writers charge less than 2% of these studios’ EARNINGS,” writes staff writer Aaron Vaccaro Mike and Molly. “They saved more because they didn’t have to pay for lunches in the Tendergreens writers’ room during the Zoom room era.”

Caroline Renard, a WGA captain and author Secrets of Sulfur Springssays she voted “yes” because “this fight is also for pre-WKV members. At the rate we’re going, you have no place to become the future screenwriters you want to be. They won’t be able to afford it.” The studios don’t pay us now, they certainly won’t pay any of us, not even you.

Companies, she wrote, “will only say yes to our demands if they understand what it costs to say no.” Your current offer is basically what we already receive, it doesn’t address any major issues. If conditions continue, writing careers for most middle-class writers will not be sustainable.”

Minoti Vaishnav whose TV writers included The equalizer And True lies, wrote: “Every day until April 11th I will post a reason why I am voting YES on the WGA strike authorization vote. Reason #1: Minirooms where top writers charge the same as a story editor. Studios like to exploit writers with 10+ years of experience and exclude new voices. Not anymore!”

All this comes as the WGA agreed to hold negotiations this week during a previously scheduled two-week break. The talks are expected to intensify in the two weeks from April 17 until the contract expires on May 1.