WGA Management Faces Unfair Labor Practice Strike as AMPTP Negotiations Loom

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is currently experiencing life on the other side of the picket line, as their staff members have begun to strike.

As reported in Variety, on Tuesday, the Writers Guild Staff Union (WGSU) officially commenced a strike for higher pay and better benefits, grounding operations at the guild's Los Angeles headquarters to a halt.

This comes at a sensitive time for the guild, as they are scheduled to meet with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to negotiate the future of film and television contracts in March.

Let's dissect this further.

A Battle Over "Bad Faith"

The WGSU, which represents roughly 100 of the guild’s 150 employees, is attempting to secure its first-ever contract. They have been negotiating since September and now feel that a strike is the only way forward.

The Core Demands

The strike is fueled by a significant gap in compensation and job security. The WGSU points out a stark irony: while the WGA fights for massive pay increases for screenwriters, 64% of its own internal staff earns less than $84,850 annually.

In a city as expensive as Los Angeles, the staff argues this is no longer a livable wage.

These aren't the only demands, but they are the biggest ones. The WGA has a side-by-side chart outlining the positions, and the WGSU has published its own chart where you can look at the other asks.

Tension Ahead of AMPTP Negotiations

This is all happening in a contract year for the WGA, so it has raised tensions and worries with guild members who want this to be settled so the leaders can focus on working with the AMPTO to secure a new contract.

In a public statement, the WGA claimed the strike’s impact would be "minimal" because the high-level executives and managers handling the upcoming studio negotiations are not part of the striking unit.

But it's still not a good look.

We'll keep you updated as this develops.