After the Writers Guild of America (WGA) expressed a favourable vote, with a 96% share, the threat of a writers strike is more and more concrete and they could start striking next May. The spectre of 2007 is looming, when a strike went on from November to February 2008. Many TV series and shows were cancelled or shortened with huge losses in the town of Los Angeles, that were estimated at 380 to 2.5 billion dollars.
The dispute is over the new contract that will replace the three year agreement between WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which will expire next April 30. According to WGA, the first six production companies had 49 billion dollar profits in 2015 whereas writers’ salaries were not increased, on the contrary, they were even reduced. During the current talks on the new contract WGA has asked for a 535 million contract, against AMPTP proposal of 180.
Yet the two parties have declared they are willing to find an agreed solution and especially help the industry. ” In any case”, WGA affirmed, “We are ready to strike in the absence of a fair agreement “
