Here is a classic example of why members of the WGA are on strike right now: Brittani Nichols, one of the writers of the hit, Emmy-Award-winning show, Abbott Elementary, posted a tweet about how she won’t see the benefits of the show’s success.
Right now, film and television writers across the U.S. are on strike as a result of unfair wages and the lack residuals from streaming media, like Hulu which is where you can find Abbott Elementary. As it stands, there is currently no minimum pay for writers working on shows for streaming services, with writers having to individually negotiate for their pay, often leading to them being paid less than those writing for broadcast shows.
Nichols who has worked on Abbott Elementary, Suicide Kale, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Drop the Mic, points out the absurdity that though the final episode of Abbot Elementary‘s season two finale has earned gold star ratings, this will not be reflected in her compensation, and she wrote the episode. The season finale has brought in seven million viewers after a week of multi-platform viewing.
The entertainment industry has changed massively over the last decade as streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney Plus churn out more and more shows than ever before. With the constant need for new entertainment, and these waters having been unchartered for a while, many things have fallen through the cracks, including ensuring decent pay for those working on their shows.
With negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers having fallen through, the WGA has called for a strike which is now in its second day. Nichols has also joined the picket line of writers and supporters demanding for their concerns to be met, as writers are struggling to keep up with bills, groceries, and rent as inflation only gets worse. This has resulted in the biggest upset to the film and television industry since the pandemic.