THE GAGE ON CULTURE: the measure of the WRITERS' power
Taylor Gage
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Arts
The faculty and students here at Hillsdale may not be America's biggest fans of the dying union and guild system that old labor uses to barter with large corporate conglomerates, but they better pay attention as the Writer's Guild of America makes a last stand for the dying unions on the picket lines.
While strikes often end up hurting the workers and destroying the small guy's leverage with large corporations, the WGA's strike has allowed smaller film companies to take advantage of the refusal of the six big studios to make deals with the writers.
Tom Cruise's newly reformulated United Artists studio has already cut an individual deal with the WGA, allowing the striking writers to work for them. The Weinstein brothers also cut a similar deal for their studio. While neither of these companies produces blockbuster films, their ability to get first choice of scripts gives them a unique position themselves to perform well in 2009.
The strike has also had the tertiary consequence of causing awards shows to cancel to avoid picket lines across the red carpet and withering criticism from A-list actors who support the WGA strike. George Clooney, Tom Hanks and other stars have had choice words for movie studios about the strike.
Just this past week, the Golden Globe Awards, which are usually announced in a long, televised Oscar-like show, were announced from a podium at a press conference because the studios could get no guarantees that the WGA would stay away from the Globes. While plans for the 2008 Oscars are shakey, the Director's Guild is currently trying to nail down an agreement.
The biggest impact that the WGA strike will have in the long run is based on its success and duration. If the writers are able to force the large media coporations into negotiations, they may be able to sustain the power and viability of future strikes. If they end the strike without any concessions or deal, however, they risk having little to no leverage when they need even more concessions from corporations in the future. Just recently, GM has offered buyouts to 46,000 more workers, forcing union members into early retirement.
The weakened manufacturer unions have essentially lost their power, and if the WGA caves, the writers will, too.
While strikes often end up hurting the workers and destroying the small guy's leverage with large corporations, the WGA's strike has allowed smaller film companies to take advantage of the refusal of the six big studios to make deals with the writers.
Tom Cruise's newly reformulated United Artists studio has already cut an individual deal with the WGA, allowing the striking writers to work for them. The Weinstein brothers also cut a similar deal for their studio. While neither of these companies produces blockbuster films, their ability to get first choice of scripts gives them a unique position themselves to perform well in 2009.
The strike has also had the tertiary consequence of causing awards shows to cancel to avoid picket lines across the red carpet and withering criticism from A-list actors who support the WGA strike. George Clooney, Tom Hanks and other stars have had choice words for movie studios about the strike.
Just this past week, the Golden Globe Awards, which are usually announced in a long, televised Oscar-like show, were announced from a podium at a press conference because the studios could get no guarantees that the WGA would stay away from the Globes. While plans for the 2008 Oscars are shakey, the Director's Guild is currently trying to nail down an agreement.
The biggest impact that the WGA strike will have in the long run is based on its success and duration. If the writers are able to force the large media coporations into negotiations, they may be able to sustain the power and viability of future strikes. If they end the strike without any concessions or deal, however, they risk having little to no leverage when they need even more concessions from corporations in the future. Just recently, GM has offered buyouts to 46,000 more workers, forcing union members into early retirement.
The weakened manufacturer unions have essentially lost their power, and if the WGA caves, the writers will, too.
Be the first to comment on this story