One of the key components of a society’s core is its relationship to media – imagine a world where the media decided to withhold vital information or entertainers siloed their performances to social elites. Whether for entertainment or education, our society needs the media and all the individuals who participate in its creation, to thrive. Unfortunately, neither’s happening with the talent behind our favorite theatrical performances (on stage and the big screen) and media executives worlds apart on terms of a contract. Creators of color – who are often overworked, underpaid, and passed over — are bearing the brunt of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes.
The History of Unions In Media
The Writers Guild of America officially became recognized as a labor union on April 6th, 1933, however, efforts advocating for equal pay and healthcare coverage existed long before that date. According to The Writers Guild Foundation, the infrastructure of WGA first began in the early 1920s under the name Screen Writers’ Guild. At the time, those involved demanded better working conditions, fairer wages, and most importantly to “correct the numerous abuses to which the screenwriter is subject.” This movement began with only 12 people and has since then grown into something far greater.
Similarly, the Screen Actors Guild began in 1933 to address inequities and address exploitation of Hollywood actors. In 2012 SAG merged with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to form (SAG-AFTRA), a powerful group of over 160,000 media and television professionals (the largest union of its kind in the country). This union encompasses a wide range of media specialists from broadcast journalists to on-screen stunt performers.
SAG-AFTRA has fought for many of the same demands as WGA, but rarely have the two gone on strike at the same time… In fact, the last time the two unions walked out on the job simultaneously was over 60 years ago on April 18th, 1960.
The demands of both unions are reminiscent of prior strikes, with one exception — advances in technology and nuances in media consumption due to the advent of streaming services have created new threats to equity threatening to undo over 100 years of progress.
Throughout history, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have gone through a seemingly repetitive cycle of disenfranchisement followed by resolution when new content media arises, affecting the livelihood of the actors, writers, producers, and media crews that work tirelessly to bring entertainment and information to the masses.
Streaming and What It Brings
Film and television have been forever altered with the creation of platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Peacock.film In the past, TV series averaged about 20 episodes, airing weekly, and maintained a release schedule that lasted for months at a time, but the need for novel content that caters to our short attention spans has led to more shows with fewer seasons or staying power. In fact, the modern-day TV series has been cut to less than half that of series that aired in the 90s and early 2000s, and episodes are not released weekly but all at once.
Some networks, such as Hulu, may air their original series ‘live’ on a weekly broadcasting basis, as seen with the popular sitcoms Abbott Elementary and ‘Grown-ish’ that initially aired on the ABC network.
These systematic changes in the delivery of content are at the center of the financial crisis that belies WGA members’ demands. Writers get paid primarily through residuals – that is reruns, syndication, DVD release, streaming media, or generative AI — via a royalty payment system. A higher cost of living, but lesser pay for equally or more demanding work means workers in entertainment are unfairly squeezed with little room to breathe.
More Perfect Union, a nonprofit media organization, recently featured insight from Brittani Nichols, a Black queer television writer who’s worked on the shows “Abbott Elementary”, “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Drop the Mic”. Nichols shared that for “Abbott Elementary” the amount for a re-air on the network is $13,500 and the amount that writers such as herself are paid for that episode being on new media (in this case streaming) is $700, a massive difference.
The organization also shed light on streaming platforms that recently pulled shows and films entirely off of their services for the sake of not having to pay residuals, such as Westworld (HBO Max) and Grease (Paramount+). This brutal tactic not only promotes the erasure of shows after their performance declines but also tactically makes it harder, if not impossible for them to be streamed elsewhere.
Back in May, NBC News highlighted Kyra Jones, a Black television writer, who broke down the difference in residual pay between her two canceled projects Queens and Woke. “Queens” originally aired on ABC’s broadcast network – Jones earned roughly $16,000 for that one season while two seasons of Woke, a Hulu original, only made $6,000 in comparison. Although Woke has not been removed from the service, the difference in earnings between the two shows is a glaring example of the pay discrepancies that creatives, especially creatives of color, experience.
The Shocking Reality Unraveled
Marginalized members of massive unions have been under-appreciated for decades. As more union members share their experiences, it has become clear that there is no room for compromise in negotiations. Recently, creatives of color have spoken out about their earnings and the day-to-day reality of their work, which has shocked many.
Among many recognizable faces, William Standford Davis, most recently known for his beloved role as Mr. Johnson in Abbott Elementary shared a residual check for 3 cents from an unnamed television show. In his video, he begins by noting that he has been a SAG member for 32 years and the lack of progress towards equitable pay that remains a theme even to — “ for [those] 32 years, my wages haven’t increased at all” Davis says before showing the measly check on the screen.
Actor Kendrick Sampson had a recurring role as Nathan Campbell on HBO’s hit series “Insecure” for 3 years and Sampson recently shared that he received 56 residual checks from the show. “I prayed that these are HEALTHY checks to get me through this time,” he began, “But lo and behold – 50 (yes FIFTY! FIVE, ZERO) checks into counting, I had to take a break because… the total was $86.” Sampson openly pondered about how much worse off new actors on less reputable shows must be considering how low his pay has been as an actor on a groundbreaking, nationally syndicated television show.
Toward The Future
WAG and SAG’s demands are reasonable — it’s not too much to ask for, increased pay rates that align with the overwhelming success of streaming services to bridge the wage gaps that currently exist between chief executives and their subordinates.
Whether anonymous or not, by admitting that the goal is to let the strikers lead themselves toward poverty, and as reported by Deadline, “start losing their apartments and start losing their houses”, it’s evident that union members are striking for their dignity first and foremost.
Dr. Shamard Charles Is The Chairperson And Executive Director Of Graduate Studies In Public Health At St. Francis College And Sits On The Medical Advisory Board Of Verywell Health (Dot Dash-Meredith). He Is Also Host Of The Health Podcast, The Revolutions Within Us. He Received His Medical Degree From The Warren Alpert Medical School Of Brown University And His Masters Of Public Health From Harvard’s T.H. Chan School Of Public Health. Previously, He Spent Three Years As A Senior Health Journalist For NBC News And Served As A Global Press Fellow For The United Nations Foundation. You Can Follow Him On Instagram @Askdrcharles Or X @DrCharles_NBC.
