Who Won The Writers' Strike?

New York Times:

When the Writers Guild of America held its annual awards ceremony Saturday night in Manhattan, it felt more like a victory celebration. So after a long and bitter strike, the writers won, right?

On points, yes, probably. On principle, certainly. From a practical perspective, maybe not so much.

True, the writers guild was able to wrest a major concession from management -- winning a piece of digital revenues -- the kind of victory that has largely eluded organized labor in the past few years.

Tony Gilroy, the writer and director of "Michael Clayton," who was there as a nominee, argued that, while the strike had been punishing, it was clearly necessary.

"As writers and directors, we have our nose in the tent for real for the first time," he said. "There are question marks about how it will be implemented, but there is no one who can argue that the strike was not necessary. We would never be in the position we are without it. Anybody who says the strike was a bad idea is dead wrong."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[NewRiver]

07:40 PM on 02/12/2008

Q: Who Won The Writers' Strike?

A: The viewers.

Now bring back CSI Miami...I need my Calleigh Duquesne fix!!!

[bibimimi]

03:40 PM on 02/12/2008

who's the tortured face in the pic above??

he looks like she has constipation of the cashflow.

[Elmo]

03:05 PM on 02/12/2008

The strike is over?

[cruisepuppy7452a]

01:35 PM on 02/12/2008

Nobody won and the writers still got screwed. I for one would never have agreed to that deal, and I am a writer. I think people forget, without good writers, you have nothing. I was sick when I saw how easily they caved to pressure. Its a sad commentary, no pun intended, that they felt it was the only way to keep thier jobs. I don't think it will be so easy the next time around and you won't see them cave as fast. Sad day, nothing was woth selling your soul for an easy out.

[eugenegerard]

01:12 PM on 02/12/2008

There are no winners in strikes. That being said, sometimes you have to bloody the nose of a bully to gain his respect.

[marinade]

10:27 AM on 02/12/2008

Seems like the union caved. The writers paid the price of being out of work for 14 weeks. The producers lost nothing.

Settling because of the Academy Awards was a concession to the producers.

Too bad the writers and actors couldn't have gone on strike together.

[Prowler]

01:03 PM on 02/12/2008

Too bad this is the language, win/lose. I'd like to think both sides faired well in the negotiations. Yes I am in "the business", not a writer though.

Don't be so sure the producers didn't lose anything. Producers like their money too and with any downsizing in the project area they lose money too. It takes a producer to produce pilots and the like.

More like you think the studios didn't lose anything. Don't be so sure on that either it's just with everything being huge conglomerates the pinch isn't felt at the top ever and that's the problem.