Representative Kate Porter (D-Calif.), currently running for Senate, encouraged the WGA and studios to negotiate immediately. “All workers must be paid fairly, including in a changing economy” He said on Twitter on Tuesday. “I join the chorus of support from Americans @WGAWest/@WGAEast And urge both parties to come to a swift agreement that honors the writers’ hard work and dedication. #WGAStrong“
The tense negotiations have also drawn the attention of lawmakers outside the California delegation.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, used the strike to highlight compensation disparities in the entertainment industry.
“Last year, 8 Hollywood CEOs earned nearly $800 million, but pay for TV writers has dropped 23 percent over the past 10 years. I stand with nearly 12,000 @WGAWest “Writers Strike for Fair Contract” Sanders said on Twitter TuesdayRefers to the West Coast division of the union.
The White House has been tight-lipped on the issue.
“President Biden is a strong supporter of workers’ rights to strike,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Tuesday, but she declined to comment further when pressed by a reporter.
The current climate has “created a gig economy within a unionized workforce,” the Writers Guild of America said in a statement. “They are committed to reaching a new contract with fair pay, which reflects the value of our contribution to the company’s success and includes safeguards to ensure the survival of writing as a sustainable profession.”
The strike is expected to affect the production of current TV shows. Especially the night offeringand more in the making.
The last WGA strike began in 2007 and continued into early 2008. It lasted for 100 days.
