Yahoo News Writers Guild Strikes for Third Day in New York City
Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) led a protest outside Seret Studios in Brooklyn on Thursday, May 4, as strikes entered a third day after failed negotiations “with streamers and studios” on Monday.
The guild said it had negotiated for fair contracts over the last six weeks with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Discovery, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal, and Disney. As of midnight Tuesday, no agreement had been reached, leading to stoppages in production for shows like Saturday Night Live.
“The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing,” the official WGA statement reads. “From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a day rate in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”
Christian Emanuel recorded this footage on Thursday as demonstrators marched outside Seret Studios in Brooklyn. Credit: Christian Emanuel via Storyful
Video transcript
[HORNS HONKING]
- Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line.
- We are the union.
- We are the union.
- The mighty, mighty union.
- The might, mighty union.
- And If we don't get it--
- Shut it down.
- If we don't get it.
- Shut it down.
- If we don't get it.
- Shut it down.
- Netflix, Showtime, HBO, Writers' pay is too damn low. Netflix, Showtime, HBO, Writers' pay is too damn low.
- Yo.
- Writers' pay is too damn low.
- Everywhere we go.
- Everywhere we go--
- Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line.
- Say it with me one more time-- Writers always hold the line. Say it with me one more time--
- Writers always hold the line.
- Say it with me one more time.
- Writers always hold the line.
- Say it with me one more time-- - Writers always hold the line.
- Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine--
- We are--
- Who we are.
- So we tell them.
- So we tell them.
- We are the union.
- We are the union.
- The might, mighty, union.
- The mighty, mighty union.
- And if they can't hear us--
- If they can't hear us--
- --we'll scream until they do.
- --we'll scream until they do.
Picket line. Day or night, rain or shine--
- You don't cross this picket line.
- Day or night, rain or shine-- you don't cross our picket line.
- Remember, when we go day or night, rain or shine--
You don't cross this picket line.
- Day or night, rain or shine, you don't our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross this picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross the picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross this picket line. Day or night, rain or shine, you don't cross our picket line. Day or night, rain or shine--
