The Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) pledges support to our colleagues in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) who have voted to go on strike as of 12.01am Monday 5 November, 2007.
The 12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America are striking to increase minimum payments when writing for new media and increase residual payments for DVD sales, internet downloads and mobile phone transmissions.
Nearly 3,000 WGA members packed the Los Angeles Convention Center last week for what became the largest membership meeting in WGA history, where writers expressed their anger at the production companies’ refusal to bargain seriously.
‘We call on our members – and all Australian writers – to refuse to break the strike by filling in for striking US writers’ said AWG Executive Director Jacqueline Woodman.
‘Strikebreaking to get work in Hollywood may be seen by some as a career opportunity or simply a short-term payday, but taking work in America at this time would completely end any chance of a future U.S. career.’
Under Australian trade union laws the AWG cannot issue a strike instruction or discipline any members who defy the strike. Woodman points out, however, that solidarity is a strong motivator for Australian writers. During the last WGA strike in 1988, there was solid support by Australian writers, with very few cases of strikebreaking and we fully expect the same support this time.
And for those few unswayed by solidarity, self interest may convince them. Rule 13 of the WGA Strike Rules states:
‘The Guild does not have the authority to discipline non members for strike breaking and/or scab writing. However, the Guild can and will bar that writer from future Guild membership. This policy has been strictly enforced in the past and has resulted in convincing many would be strike breakers to refrain from seriously harming the Guild and its members during a strike.’
Without WGA membership, it is virtually impossible for a writer to work for the major networks and studios in the USA.
Woodman also points out that the AWG, along with the writers’ guilds of Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa among others – is a signatory to the ‘Auckland Declaration’, signed in 2000, which states:
‘To the greatest extent permitted by contract and law, the guilds pledge to honor work stoppages, publicize information about work stoppages to their respective memberships, and to lend all aid possible to each other in support of negotiating goals.’
‘This means not only do we strongly advise our members not to engage in strikebreaking, if we learn of any cases of strikebreaking either by AWG members or non-members, we will not hesitate to inform the WGA so that they can investigate according to their rules’ said Woodman.
The AWG is currently fighting similar battles at home and wholeheartedly supports our U.S. colleagues in fighting for a fair deal.
[release from the AWG]