One Friday Morning

After a period of 148 days of striking, members of the Writers Guild of America have ceased their protest and resumed their work, armed with a tentative agreement. However, the picket lines outside the studio gates are still occupied by members of SAG-AFTRA, who are not alone in their efforts.

On Friday morning, a significant number of individuals gathered on the picket line outside the Warner Bros. lot, with over 600 people in attendance, as reported by SAG-AFTRA. This occurred several days after the WGA successfully reached a historic deal with the AMPTP, and prior to SAG-AFTRA's return to the negotiation table on October 2nd.

The members of SAG-AFTRA seemed to be inspired by the WGA's achievement and the potential implications it may have for their own upcoming discussions. Ernie Hudson, an actor from Ghostbusters, expressed his optimism, stating, "It definitely gave me hope. It gave me encouragement that the executives are at least willing to make an effort." In a joint statement released on Wednesday by the AMPTP and the performers union regarding the resumption of talks on Monday, it was mentioned that "several executives from AMPTP member companies will be in attendance."Hudson expressed his desire for the actors to be present at the negotiations and to approach the deal with seriousness. He acknowledged the challenges of negotiations, which often involve posturing, but expressed hope that this stage had already been completed and that they were now prepared to finalize the agreement. Beau Bridges, an Emmy winner who was accompanying Hudson, noted the increased energy at the picket line, indicating that serious negotiations were approaching.

The negotiations scheduled for Monday were a major topic of discussion among those on the picket line. Diana-Maria Riva, an actress and co-founder of Latinas Acting Up, emphasized the importance of demonstrating strength in numbers as the negotiations approached. Riva's organization has been drawing attention to the work of Latino performers and filmmakers during the strike. Lisa Vidal, another union member and co-founder of Latinas Acting Up, commented on the significance of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) agreement, stating that if the WGA successfully achieved their goals, it would create a fair playing field for other unions.

The picket line on Friday showcased solidarity among various unions, including IATSE, The Animation Guild, and striking hospitality workers from Local 11, who joined the actors in their protest. WGA members continued to support the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) by picketing and congratulating passing writers on their tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Ben Flores, a writer and WGA member, expressed his motivation to support SAG after learning about their upcoming meeting with the AMPTP on Monday. Flores highlighted the unwavering tenacity and solidarity demonstrated by SAG, which mirrored the determination shown by the writers during their own negotiations.In a communication addressed to its strike captains on Sunday evening, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) expressed great pride in the exceptional nature of the deal reached, which offers significant gains and protections for writers across all sectors of its membership. The new agreement encompasses a range of terms, including minimum staffing requirements, minimum pay increases, and safeguards on the use of artificial intelligence. Notably, there is some overlap between the WGA and SAG-AFTRA's demands from the studios, particularly in relation to residuals linked to streaming viewership and data transparency. The WGA has secured confidential access to the total number of hours streamed, both domestically and internationally, of self-produced high-budget streaming programs.

Conversations on the picket line on Friday were marked by a sense of optimism about the future after the work stoppage. Burbank Mayor Konstantine Anthony, who is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, and Mónica Ramírez of the nonprofit Justice for Migrant Women, joined Riva and Vidal in marching the line and discussing the post-strike future for their organization. Riva noted that as Latinas in the industry, they had set off something that would need to continue after the strike, not just as picketers for the cause, but as advocates for greater representation of Latinos in film and TV. Thus, they anticipate a continued fight post-strike.