Hollywood writers returned to work today after a hard fought strike that was fought both on the streets of Hollywood and New York in picket lines and on the Internet with blogs like United Hollywood and videos like Writer Boi. The Screen Actors Guild also provided much need solidarity. WGAW President Patric M. Verrone and WGAE President
Michael Winship wrote a letter to members about the long strike and returning to work.
Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not employed at an office or other work site, call or e-mail your employer that you are resuming work. If you have been told not to report to work or resume your services, we recommend that you still notify your employer in writing of your availability to do so. Questions concerning return-to-work issues should be directed to the WGAW legal department at 323.782.4521 or the WGAE's assistant executive director Ann Toback at 212-767-7823.
The decision to begin this strike was not taken lightly and was only made after no other reasonable alternative was possible. We are profoundly aware of the economic loss these fourteen weeks have created not only for our members but so many other colleagues who work in the television and motion picture industries. Nonetheless, with the establishment of the WGA jurisdiction over new media and residual formulas based on distributor's gross revenue (among other gains) we are confident that the results are a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future.
We hope to build upon the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and solidarity that were generated by your hard work during the strike.
The writers are glad to returning to work. TV viewers will also be very happy that many of their shows will soon be returning. The latenight talk shows that did not have interim deals will also get their writers back. The Associated Press interviewed some of the writers returning to work. They also interview Bradford Winters - who was written for Oz and Six Degrees - in this video.
The Horror Writers Association (HWA) has issued the following statement in support of the WGA strike. The statement was posted on Dark Whispers, the HWA's official weblog.
The Horror Writers Association, on behalf of its writer members, stands in
support of the Writers Guild of America strike in seeking appropriate
compensation for writers when their work is distributed digitally, either
via DVD or Internet downloads. Although HWA is not a union, it is an
organization of writers that advocates for authors' rights. Writers Guild of
America and its demands fall solidly into this category. All writers will be
affected by the outcome of this strike, and we stand in solidarity,
resisting those who seek to distribute our work on the Internet, DVD, or any
format without fair compensation.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America also recently issued a statement in support of the ongoing writers' strike.
Members from the Screen Actors Guild including Ben Stiller, David Krumholtz, Lily Tomlin, William Petersen, Nicolette Sheridan, Marg Helgenberger, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Marge Hildebrand, and Zach Braff joined writers on the picket line outside Universal Studios yesterday in support of the writers' strike. Actress and executive producer of The Sarah Silverman Program said, "It's so crazy ridiculous...all the writers want is a small percentage of the money that the producers are making on the things that they're writing." Ben Stiller said, "I hope this strike is over soon, but it shouldn't be over until we get what we need."
Some of TV's top stars will be walking the picket line at the WGA West's "Picketing with the Stars" today to support striking writers. The event is a demonstration of solidarity between the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America. Here is a list of the celebrities that will be walking the picket line with writers today.
Army Wives - Kim Delaney, Brian McNamara, Sally Pressman, Drew Fuller, Wendy Davis, Sterling K. Brown, Brigid Brannagh
The Big Bang Theory - Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Jim Parsons
Big Love - Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn
Brotherhood - Ethan Embry, Fionnula Flanagan, Kevin Chapman
Corey in the House - Rondell Sheridan, Madison Pettis, Lisa Arch, Maira Walsh
Cold Case - Thom Barry, John Finn, Tracie Thoms, Meredith Stiehm, Danny Pino
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Archie Kao, Marc Vann, Wallace Langham, Liz Vassey, David Berman, John Wellner
The 