In Hollywood, screenwriters strike for their salaries

Fifteen years after an identical social movement, the Hollywood screenwriters union has voted to call a strike, which threatens to paralyze the audiovisual industry in the United States.

Since midnight Tuesday, thousands of American television and film writers have been on strike, their union announced on Monday, May 1. This follows from the failure of several weeks of negotiations on raising their pay, between screenwriter unions and major platform studios, including Disney and Netflix.

In Hollywood, screenwriters go on strike

The members of the board of directors of the very powerful union of screenwriters of television and cinema, Guild of Writers of America made it official on their Twitter account: Acting under the authority given to them by their members, they voted unanimously to call a strike “.

This strike takes effect immediately. She drives the certain interruption of successful programs, including late night showsincluding “Saturday Night Live” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live! “, and could significantly delay the release of series or films expected this year.

Stagnant salaries

In addition to an increase in their salary, Television and film writers are also clamoring for a larger share of the streaming profits. They claim that they are having trouble making a living from their profession, due to their salaries stagnating or even declining due to inflation.

The writers also say that never before have so many worked at the minimum wage set by the unions, while TV channels are hiring fewer people to write ever shorter series. While the studios say they need to cut costs due to economic pressures, their employers are turning a profit and raising the salaries of their executives.

It’s not the first time that Hollywood screenwriters have gone on strike. THE The last major social movement dates back to 2007-2008. A 100-day conflict that had cost the industry two billion dollars, and reduced the production of many serious episodes.