Hollywood Unites: Writers and Actors Strike at Fox Studios

WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, as well as SAG-AFTRA national board members Frances Fisher and Shari Belafonte were a part of a group of striking writers and actors picketing today outside Fox Studios, Century City, Los Angeles. Joining them were promising newcomer Yvonne Wheeler, currently serving as president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and seasoned executive secretary treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher.

These demonstrations marked the 87th day of the writers strike. Stiehm, addressing the crowd, emphasized the value of tenacity in fighting for one’s rights and cautioned picketers that worthwhile endeavours often require struggle.

The peaceful picketing was further enhanced with chants such as “On strike, shut it down, L.A. is a union town,” and clever signages targeting corporate giants, with messages like "A robot would make a great CEO" and a jab at Disney with "We're unrealistic? You bought Fox."

Stiehm expressed her admiration for the "lot of labor queens" participating in the day's rally, commending the female genre writers who stood their ground in an industry that often failed to welcome them with open arms. Stiehm was accompanied by Betsy Thomas, secretary-treasurer of the WGA West, and both women are competitors in the upcoming guild’s election.

Shuler reminded the picketers of the 13 million unionized workers who stand in solidarity with them, rallying against unfair work conditions. She affirmed the global reach of their movement, stating that it "is capturing the imagination of the entire country - of the world.”

Belafonte voiced her disappointment over the executives and shareholders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers prioritizing profit over the wellbeing of their employees. In a final note, the picketers put the spotlight on the extravagant daily earnings of certain studio CEOs.

This strike, which started on July 14, is significant as this is the first time since 1960 that both actors and writers have simultaneously gone on strike.

Now, onto my thoughts.

In the age of digital content creation and ever-growing streaming platforms, it feels like an almost climactic moment when a group of creatives bring an entire city's activities to a halt. Sounds like a blockuster screenplay in the making, doesn't it? Except this is a true story, and the pennies that drop in the box office of this script won’t be going to the very people making the narrative compelling - the writers and actors.

As Stiehm rightly pointed out, the trials are often accompanied by triumphs. It's a testament to the tenacious spirit of these picketers, who are not only demanding their rights but setting a cinematic scene while doing it. Who said protesting couldn't be dramatic and stylish?

While it might be easy to roll your eyes and say, "Oh look, Hollywood is on strike again," it's essential to remember the domino effect this could set off. If Hollywood can boldly face the powers that be, what’s to stop smaller, less glitzy industries from following suit? These workers are not just holding picket signs; they're raising a banner for workers across the globe - an action reel worth applauding.

Finally, the figures disclosed by Belafonte could be enough to turn anyone's stomach at the sheer blatant disparity. Perhaps it's time we honestly asked ourselves: is the paycheck of the puppet master always worth that much more than the marionettes? If “the show must go on” is a mantra to live by, it's about time we correctly valued those who continue to make the magic happen.

Is this the climax of our real-time Hollywood script, I wonder? Only time will tell. Until then, "lights, camera, action" might just have to wait a little while longer.