International film and television unions react to WGA strike

International unions representing film and television writers around the world have begun to share their reactions to Hollywood’s first writers’ strike in 15 years, as WGA members prepare to meet the push.

Thousands of WGA members will march in Los Angeles, New York and other major US cities on Tuesday afternoon after the WGA announced it was unable to reach a last-minute agreement with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers over ‘ a new three years. contract to replace the one that expired on Monday night.

In a statement to meetingThe Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) said it would assist the WGA “to the extent possible” during its strike by introducing a new rulebook for the work Canadian guild members can undertake during strike time.

The list of rules states that dual members of the WGC and the WGA residing in the US are bound by the WGA Strike Rules. A WGC member and a Canadian resident can continue to work under the Independent Production Agreement (IPA), which remains in effect until December 31, 2023. However, members cannot accept “work in progress”. This includes all projects that would normally fall under the WGA. Similarly, dual members of the WGC and WGA based in Canada can continue to work for manufacturers covered by the IPA. Again excluding “successful work”.

“The WGC, together with writers’ guilds around the world, stands in solidarity with the WKV in its strike for fair remuneration for writers. We hope for a quick and fair decision,” said WGC Executive Director Victoria Shen.

WGC President Alex Levine added: “The compensation issues driving WGA members to strike apply to all writers in the digital streaming era. WGC members support WGA writers in their fight for fairness, and we applaud their strength and collective determination.”

Giorgio Glaviano, president of the Italian Writers’ Union, tells meeting the union “followed the negotiations of our American colleagues with great concern”.

“We express our solidarity with the colleagues of the WGA, because their struggle is also ours,” said Glaviano. “All over the world, the figure of the screenwriter is threatened by ever stricter wages and ever more difficult working conditions.”

Glaviano supported the WGA’s concerns about the use of artificial intelligence, writing that the technology could make writers’ jobs “increasingly a struggle for survival.” During negotiations with AMPTP, the WGA tried to regulate the use of AI in MBA projects. In response, the studios proposed introducing annual meetings “to discuss technological advances.”

Glaviano concluded the letter: “We will support our American colleagues in any way we can. Because everything that interests and unites us as writers is to tell the world, make emotions live and give the audience dreams.”

Meanwhile in Israel, the people who brought Fauda And Shtisel for the world, the Screenwriters Guild of Israel unequivocally supported the WGA.

“SGI writers stand in solidarity with our WGA E/W brothers and sisters and support their fight for the survival of writing as a viable profession,” read a statement shared on social media this morning. “SGI stands in the spotlight with all striking WGA E/W members and urges AMPTP to be sensible and pay up.”

Hugh Farley, director of the Writers’ Guild of Ireland, referred Deadline to an April 19 statement by WGI president Jennifer Davidson.

“The Writers’ Guild of Ireland stands firmly behind our colleagues in the WKV as they negotiate better conditions for their members,” she said. “The problems they raise are problems we face as Irish writers, if not now then in the near future.”

WGA members “deserve an agreement that allows writers to share in the success of the content they create,” added Davidson, noting that Irish writers should be executive producers of their own programs to ensure they are fairly rewarded.

In keeping with the agreements of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds, both the Israeli and Irish unions said they would encourage all writers who are members of American shows to lay down their tools. The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain issued a similar guideline.

Susin Lindblom-Curman, CEO of the Writers Guild of Sweden, told us that “many of the issues raised by the Writers Guild of America during its negotiations are also relevant to Swedish and European screenwriters and we are grateful that they have decided to joint action.”

“This battle will be of great importance to both writers who can make a living and writers who can make an artistic impact. The Writers’ Guild of Sweden wishes to express our full support for our colleges in The Writers’ Guild of America and we call on our members to show solidarity during the conflict.”

France’s largest writers’ union and WGA affiliate La Guilde, which represents about 250 professional film and television writers, or about a third of the national pool, also expressed support for the strike.

“Our position is one of solidarity with the WGA and we are absolutely opposed to anyone breaking the strike,” said the organization’s president, Marie Roussin.

“We have seen a real deterioration in the working conditions of American writers, with increased uncertainty and instability and the introduction of the mini-space, destroying a system that allowed writers to develop and build a career.”

However, she noted that La Guilde cannot prevent its members or non-members from accepting jobs in the US, although their stance is against such a move.

“Not all screenwriters in France are members of La Guilde. As individuals they can do what they want. We have no influence on their actions. We also cannot force our members to refuse to work,” said Roussin.

Last month La Guilde signed France’s first interprofessional agreement between the SACD (Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers) and the French producers’ organizations SPI and l’UPSA.

The landmark agreement established new guidelines for writer-to-writer contracts and the first-ever minimum wage structure. “We are much stronger than ever, but we couldn’t strike today [in France] because not all screenwriters are registered in France,” said Roussin.

Packages will be posted at 1pm PT on Tuesday at 10 Los Angeles studios, from Amazon to Warner Bros, as well as at the Peacock NewFront presentation on 5th Avenue in New York City.

The last WGA work stoppage lasted 14 weeks in 2007-2008.

We’ll update this story with more international resonance as it comes through.