What happens when writers’ working conditions are so bad that they’re forced to strike?
They turn their powers of wordsmithery to some really good picket signs, that’s what.
To catch you up: the Writers Guild of America went on strike on May 2, after the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to honor WGA’s demands for higher pay and better working conditions before their contract expired on May 1. Astonishingly, one of the negotiations AMPTP refused to budge on was the use of Artificial Intelligence in writers rooms. WGA asked AMPTP not to use AI to write source material, and AMPTP rejected the proposal, offering instead “annual meetings to discuss advancements in technology.” Yes, let’s meet annually to talk about replacing writers with robots. Who could resist an offer like that?
Why is the WGA strike important? Because the film and TV you love wouldn’t exist without writers. Actors don’t make up their lines on the spot. Plots and story arcs don’t come out of nowhere. Writing is hard work that takes skill and talent, and writers are entitled to a fair share of the profits that studios make from their shows and movies.
And nothing shows how important writers are like a strike. In 2007, WGA went on strike for several months, forcing numerous shows to shorten their seasons or switch to reruns. 30 Rock, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, and other shows were all affected, with entire storylines being changed because of the absence of writers to advance the plots.
Now, onto the best WGA strike picket signs we’ve seen! (By the way, want to see some of these amazing signs in person? Support the strike by joining a picket line yourself! Yes, you’re allowed to go show your support even if you’re not a writer!)
In addition to all the great WGA signs, animators have gotten in on the act, too. Let’s hear it for solidarity!
(featured image: David McNew/Getty Images)
