By: Emma Sikes
Summer is for striking, solidarity, and sweating. Get in the car girls, we’re going to the picket line. Before I dive into the current frenzy of misinformation within the Writer/Actor strike, we must first have a little history lesson on strikes and the Labor War in the U.S.. Do not worry, I’m gonna jazz it up a bit so it's fun for both of us. #beinginformedisfun #getingirlsweregettinginformed
Since the beginning of industrialized work, larger companies have opposed unions. They wanted the right to control their private property and to conduct business without intervention. Their words, not mine. Personally, I’m not seeing the issue with some intervention. The need to conduct business “secretly and privately” feels just about as wrong as not being able to see the Chipotle workers make your burrito bowl, or watch the hot Ben & Jerry’s worker double scoop your Half Baked just because you were watching him (ok I gave him a wink too, and I licked my lips but that is totally unrelated). As you can tell, I’m a union girly through and through. #eattherich One of the first known workers strikes was in 1874 in Pennsylvania. Basically, the mine they worked in reduced wages and 10,000 miners went on strike. It went about as well as you’d assume given the time and the absence of women in the workplace. The workers were fired and replaced and then got angry and planned attacks and used violence against the mine operators and the foreman. They took the term “stick it to the man” literally and lots of people (on both sides) died. Labor negotiations continued to result in lots of death and little change, so much so that in a timeline I was reading about strikes most were renamed the Massacre of whatever year or town the workers had the audacity to want fairness in. I cannot express how much death there was within these “negotiations” if we can even call them that. Both sides came to the table with loaded guns and loaded fire hoses in some cases, hoping to come to an agreement. They must’ve never heard of the ole “hug it out” method my guidance counselor was so fond of. I’m a visual learner, so I immediately imagined Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, sitting across from a few writers in stupid graphic tees and jeans in a standoff with guns. I giggled at first, then cried for approximately 2 minutes because in many aspects of American legislation we are reverting back to a time when that is a totally viable option. #gunsrscaryandcheugy
Although social media may glamorize striking now, posting pictures of big celebrities in hats, Gucci shades and an oversized SAG-AFTRA shirt, there are other unions who had plans of striking that don’t have celebrity backing. UPS workers listed their demands in a recent negotiation that started in July. They were met with a much better deal than they started with, so they called off their plans to strike. If UPS workers were forced to strike, it would’ve cost the US economy more than $7 billion (per NPR), and it would’ve taken so much longer for your Prime Day purchases to come in. We are now adding UPS to our list of yassified companies that gives workers a living wage. Way to go UPS, you’re giving (people a living wage)!
Now onto discussing some things we’ve been hearing from social media about strikes that may or may not be true. Ok I’m about to throw a lot of acronyms and numbers and dates at you; are you ready? The “Hollywood Strike” of 2023 began on May 2nd. It followed after six weeks of negotiations with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers) where the WGA (Writers Guild of America) union was asking for fairer compensation and protections for writers. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) joined the strike in mid-July, marking the first tandem strike in the industry since 1960. During the strike, members of both unions will not be allowed to promote past projects or upcoming ones at panels, premiers, or interviews. That’s why the baddies from Oppenhiemer left their own premier and their director, Christopher Nolan, said “They are off to write their picket signs” (I have yet to see Miss Pugh in a hat and Gucci shades thus far). My favorite fun term that’s come out of all this is scab. It originated in 1810 to describe any worker who refused to join a union. Recently, the word has been thrown around on social media and I’m #lovingit. Obviously its other definition refers to the gross skin that forms over a cut that you try like hell NOT to pick at. These days it has taken on a few other meanings. It can refer to a worker who takes a job during a strike to replace someone who is currently striking on the picket line. I think that’s genius marketing on Union’s part. Getting folks together to collectively hate a specific group of people, and give an incredibly insulting name to them, just genius. At this time during the Hollywood strike being an influencer, content creator, or Youtuber is more lucrative than other more traditional jobs, and therefore scabbing has become more common. Most often these online personalities aren’t a part of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA, but they have a platform and they gained more followers in this time because let’s face it, no new media is coming out since the strike. Therefore, production companies are reaching out to those people to promote their new movies and to star in their new shows. Because the newly famous Tokkers (Tik) are not aware that once scabbers cross the picket lines to embark on their new fame journey, it will make them ineligible for admittance into Guilds later. Guilds that provide them with retirement benefits, health benefits, help to negotiate better working conditions and fair wages. There is one Tik Toker in particular who I’m referring to, (@collinurrmom is his username) who is being labeled a scab, but I fear he is not the first nor the last illinformed social media person who will be approached by these larger production companies trying to prove striking writers and actors are replaceable. Luckily for us, he is violently unfunny and vocal about his plans to take union actors jobs, so many SAG-AFTRA members have replied to his tone deaf videos in Tik Tok form to try and explain the grave mistake he is making in taking this “life changing” offer. I think it is entirely possible that other influencers are being offered these same deals by larger struck companies but are taking the money in secret, at least these dummies are announcing their plans out loud beforehand.
We do not know how long these strikes will go on for, but as a young actor/writer I am thankful to current union members striking for a better future. As a senior in college it is scary to think that the strike could still be in effect when I graduate, but I stand (sit, I’m currently sitting, who tf is typing standing up?) with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and their fight to give these workers a fair and livable wage. As I presented the history/facts/opinions in this article I was hoping to embody The Green Bros(Hank & John), a little of Bill (Nye) and a touch of Joan Rivers let me know if that came across. #informwithstyle
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