In a recent Q&A sessions, Ellen Stutzman and Meredith Stiehm, leaders of Writers Guild of America (WGA), focused on the transformational deal in Hollywood, emphasizing their solidarity with SAG-AFTRA. In their negotiating and lobbying activities, they have used a multidimensional strategy that will serve the objectives of the Writers Guild of America (WGA). According to Deadline, Stutzman said, talking about the writers who have pushed forward through these hardships” I would just say member power is what brought this deal in”. Ellen’s statement details the crucial role of the collectives actions ands member solidarity played in achieving their goals.
Stutzman and Stiehm opened the conversation by highlighting a deal they described as “transformative” for the entertainment industry. According to Deadline, Ellen Stutzman stated,”This is the deal writers needed to get. I think what we’ve seen over the almost five-month period is that writers are more than willing to stay out and hold out to get what they needed”. The leaders also stressed their solidarity with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). In previous post created by mxdwn, “while the 148-day WGA strike is over, there are no firm plans for when the SAG-AFTRA strike will finish”. With over 160,000 members, this is first ever strike since 1960 to exhibit a powerful unity among creative professionals, coming together to spread their message.
During the discussion, the conversation veered sharply when they discussed about the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Neither Stutzman nor Stiehm held back their criticism, labeling the negotiation process as a “failed process,” which would hinder both progress and writers’ compensation. Ellen Stutzman and Meredith Stiehm’s Q&A concludes. Despite this setback, the fight for fair pay and better working conditions continues, with the AMPTP’s earlier bargaining strategies serving as a sharp reminder of the difficulties that lie ahead for those who create the tales we love to watch. In accordance with Deadline, Stutzman explained,”I think that’s the history of the Writers Guild is that it strikes for important things, transformative things — and that’s what we did here.”