Strike authorization vote
This afternoon, the WGA announced a strike authorization vote — which is a very different thing than calling a strike. But it’s apt to be misreported wildly in tomorrow’s papers.
If voted through, a strike authorization allows (but does not require) the WGA to call a strike after the contract expires October 31, 2007. Another obvious use? As leverage in ongoing negotiations. The Hollywood Reporter points out:
Such votes are common prior to contract expirations and don’t necessarily indicate pessimism over prospects for a settlement.
For instance, the Teamsters took such a vote mere days before settling on their most recent contract with the AMPTP (HR 8/2). Leaders of Teamsters Local 399, who negotiate jointly with four Basic Crafts locals, simply sought to underscore the seriousness of their intent in buttoning up several deal points as the calendar counted down toward a July 31 contract expiration.
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October 4th, 2007 at 4:41 am
I realize this is an older post and you may not be checking comments on it anymore, but I’ll go ahead and ask the obvious self-interest question: If the WGA strikes, how does this affect those of us in the spec market? I assume it basically means we’re on strike by default since we won’t be able to shop specs during that period, right? I’m polishing a spec now that will be ready in the next week or so, so I’m wondering if I should try to shop it before the deadline or if that’s an almost futile exercise with the possibility of a strike.
October 20th, 2007 at 1:25 am
no one is buying anything and won’t be for some time.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:12 am
Yeah, Anonymous, I figured that out shortly after I posted. The spec market is dead. I guess I’ll just keep writing and work on some short films until the smoke clears.