The impact of the momentous WGA strike is still being digested by the UK industry with professionals we’ve spoken to in the past 24 hours expressing a combination of solidarity, uncertainty, and the view that the strike will be less problematic than other macro issues affecting their businesses.
The Writers Guild of Great Britain was yesterday unequivocal in its support for the WGA strike, reminding members that they will be removed from the Guild if they take on work within a WGA jurisdiction during the strike. It published detailed guidelines and a Q&A. The WGA’s own rules during the strike are here.
“We continue to show our solidarity with our sister union and their members in the U.S. as they embark on industrial action to secure fair pay, decent working conditions and to gain their rightful share in the future financial successes of their work,” said WGGB Chair Lisa Holdsworth.
The full ramifications of the walkout will only become clear with time, but for now, writers, producers, and agents are gathering intelligence and relying on contingency plans to keep major productions on track. Some were critical of how it has got to this point, with one senior studio executive arguing that the industry had “sleep walked” into a strike and there was not enough urgency to agree a resolution.]