It has been challenging in the writing industry lately. And as a way to stand up to some of the challenges, the Writers Guild called for a strike.
The Writers Guild of America officially announced a strike early Tuesday amid an ongoing contract dispute. It immediately impacted late-night shows but may also trickle down to many scripted series.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show are shows that went dark on Tuesday, Deadline reported.
“I love writing. I love writing for TV. I love writing this show. I love that we get to come in with an idea for what we want to do every day, and we get to work on it all afternoon, and then I have the pleasure of coming out here. No one is entitled to a job in show business,” Seth Meyers said on Tuesday. “But for those people who have a job, they are entitled to fair compensation. They are entitled to make a living. I think it’s a very reasonable demand that’s being set out by the guild. And I support those demands.”
According to HBO, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Real Time with Bill Maher are also set to cease production.
The Writers Guild of America strike has been up in the air for months after thousands of unionized writers voiced unfair pay in the streaming era. The organization’s board of directors said that writers are facing an “existential crisis” ahead of the walkout.
“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 union said in a statement.
The last Writers Guild of America strike was 2007–2008. During the pause, many shows turned to reruns, which will likely happen again until the situation is resolved.
