The Writers Guild of America has called a strike with effect from 2 May, after talks broke down with a group representing major studios and streaming services.

The strike action began after the expiration of a Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

According to the Writers Guild of America, ‘The MBA is the collective bargaining agreement that covers most of the work done by WGA members and comes up for renewal every three years.

‘At each negotiation of the MBA, WGA members agree a Pattern of Demands. During this most recent cycle of negotiation, the Pattern of Demands has centred around improving compensation and residuals for writers to address the devaluation of writers’ work; addressing the abuses of ‘mini rooms’, regulating use of AI material, combating harassment and discrimination, and more.’

We join our creative colleagues in support of film and TV writers who have taken to the picket lines in the US, to call for an end to the ‘gig economy inside a union workforce’ and the ‘existential crisis’ faced by professional writers.

The rise of artificial intelligence, continuation of poor pay terms for writers and perpetuation of racial, sexual and other types of discrimination should concern all writers and the people who work alongside them.

Times are hard for writers of all kinds, around the world, and it is vital that we stand together to fight for better contract terms, fair remuneration and decent working conditions across industries. We suggest that if you are asked to work on projects in the jurisdiction of the WGA that you contact us for individual discussion and advice Do note that taking work with one of the affected companies during the duration of the strike would make you ineligible for future WGA membership and could affect your career prospects.

We will keep our members updated with the WGA strike as it develops.

Read the full WGA strike rules here.