Subject: Hollywood's Labor Battle: AI, Strikes, and the Future of Writing: LRI INK

May 11, 2023

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Hollywood's Labor Battle: AI, Strikes, And The Future of Writing

by Kimberly Ricci

Hollywood projects an image of glitz and glamour, but beneath the surface, Los Angeles is fundamentally a labor town. While we all enjoy the superheroes and late-night laughs that Hollywood brings us, there is a situation currently taking place in Hollywood that could affect us all. The Writers Guild of America West (WGA) is currently embroiled in a strike with various studios that has significant implications for the entertainment industry and the broader adoption of AI in other business sectors.


The Impact of AI on Screenwriters: The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has raised concerns among screenwriters and their unions. With headlines asking if AI can write shows like Ted Lasso, writers are apprehensive about the potential impact of AI on their profession and earnings. In the ongoing negotiations, writers seek to implement limitations on how studios can utilize AI for writing shows and movies. The outcome of this issue could set a significant precedent for other industries grappling with integrating AI into their respective fields.


The Failed Negotiations and the Current Strike: Despite attempts at contract renewal negotiations, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the WGA failed to reach an agreement. As a result, 11,500 screenwriters downed their pens on May 3, and picket lines formed outside major studios and streaming-service headquarters. With both sides prepared for a prolonged standoff, the duration of this strike remains uncertain.


Supporters and Participants in the Strike: The strike has garnered support from various artists, politicians, and celebrities, including Joe Biden, Imagine Dragons, George R.R. Martin, and many otherseven Snoop Dogg. Other labor unions and guilds were quick to express solidarity with the WGA. However, due to a no-strike pledge in the local’s contract, the Teamsters cannot join the picket lines.


 The Changing Landscape and Immediate Effects: The shift towards streaming dominance has led to changes in the residuals earned by TV writers, who no longer receive the same compensation as they did under the traditional network-and-cable structure. The WGA seeks to address this disparity by demanding increased residuals and advocating for mandatory writing-room sizes to prevent the rise of exploitative "mini rooms" reminiscent of the gig economy. Immediate effects of the strike can already be seen with the shutdown of series productions, late-night talk shows, and the cancellation of the season's final episodes of SNL.


 Possible Outcomes and Future Negotiations: Studios terminated multiple overall deals for writers-producers during the 2007 strike using "force majeure" clauses to gain leverage. Similarly, studios have begun suspending deals without terminating them in the current strike. As negotiations continue, the future of the strike remains uncertain. Furthermore, the Directors Guild is facing its own negotiations, with a contract expiration date set for June 30, adding to Hollywood’s labor landscape’s complexity.


 Beyond the glamour and entertainment that Hollywood offers, a fierce labor battle is currently underway. The long game between writers and studios will not only shape the future of screenwriting but is a bellwether for the potential impact of AI on other industries

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Union Bailout

 

NLRB Trips Over Itself To Promote The SEIU

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Antitrust Shield For Independent Worker Action Gains Momentum

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Board Returns To Traditional Standards For Evaluating Employee Misconduct During Protected Concerted Activity

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New Joint Employer Rule To Test Tech Companies' Union Playbook

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Railroad Workers United Pass Blame For Strike Ban Onto Each Other

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DOL Confirmation

 

White House Doubles Down On Julie Su Nomination For DOL Chief

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Key Committee Advances Biden's Labor Secretary Nominees

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More Than 250 Business Leaders Back Julie Su For Labor Secretary As Nomination Hangs In The Balance

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Corruption

 

Teamsters Oust Suburban Board After More Than $1M In Questionable Expenses

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Amazon Labor Union's Vice President Faces Assault Charges, Admits To ‘Choking’ Girlfriend

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Organizing

 

Snøhetta Workers Say They Want a Union

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One Of The First Starbucks Locations To Organize has Voted To Dissolve its Union

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Starbucks Roastery Workers Move To Oust Union After One Year

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Starbucks Pushes Appeal In Memphis Union Case; U.S. Labor Tactics Scrutinized

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Westminster Starbucks Votes To Unionize As Labor Board Rules In Favor Of Another Colorado Location

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Employees At Starbucks In Aurora And Strongsville File For Unionization

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Judge: Starbucks Illegally Fired Chicago Barista, Threatened Workers During Union Drive

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Apple’s Unionized Store Workers Seek Tips And Higher Holiday Pay

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House Lawmakers Vote For Investigation Into Apple Store Labor Practices

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Teamsters Ask Labor Board To Halt Firing Of Amazon Delivery Firm

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U.S. Unions Advised To Focus Organizing Drives On Workers Without College Degrees

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Circling Back To State Legislature Unions

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Healthcare

            

Stressed Out And Burned Out: Younger Nurses Feel Strain Of Nursing Shortage 

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Nearly A Third Of Nurses Nationwide Say They Are Likely To Leave The Profession

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San Francisco Caregivers Win $25 Minimum Wage

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More Than 500 SEIU Healthcare Minnesota And Iowa Members Ready To Strike On May 15 For A Week

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Allina And SEIU Reach Tentative Agreement, Union Calls Off 7-Day Strike

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Dozens of Nurses in Concord Walk Out for 1-Day Strike 

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Hundreds Of Allina Health Workers Vote To Authorize Strike

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Michigan Hospital Workers Picket For Wages And Benefits At Trinity Health Grand Haven

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Union Reaches Contract For Three St. Louis Nursing Homes

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UK Healthcare Pay Offer To Be Implemented As Strike Threat Remains

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Maine Accusing Hospital Execs Of Endangering Patients, Nurses Union Pushes For Safe Staffing Law

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Media/Tech

 

150 African Workers For AI Companies Vote To Unionize

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AI’s Footprint In The Workplace Spreads As D.C. Stalls On Guardrails

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The Long Game Between Writers And AI

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Samsung Union Threatens First Strike In Company’s History As Pressure Mounts After Profit Plunge

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Hollywood’s Teamsters Local 399 Hires Former Netflix Senior Counsel Kay Kimmel

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Education

 

As Union-Forming Efforts Proliferate At Penn, University Workers Say Organizing ‘Isn’t Going To Stop’

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UChicago Writing Instructors Look To Join The Unionizing Wave

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UAW

 

UAW Withholding Biden Re-Election Endorsement Until EV Concerns Are Addressed

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Auto Union Holds Off On Endorsing Biden, Fearing Job Losses

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UAW To Target Battery Plant Wages In Contract Talks

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Hundreds Of Clarios Workers Strike Toledo, Ohio Battery Plant To Fight Pay Cuts

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Clarios And Stellantis Workers Call For Joint Action To Win Strike At Battery Plant In Toledo, Ohio

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UAW President Visits Ultium, Talks With Workers 

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Teamsters

 

UPS, Teamsters National Negotiations Begin As Supplemental Talks Conclude

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Teamsters End 3-Week Strike At Philly Area's Largest Coca-Cola Distributor

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Teamsters To Revise Annual Membership Filing To Labor Department

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About Labor Relations INK

Labor Relations INK is published weekly and is edited by Labor Relations Institute, Inc. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you think might enjoy it. New subscribers can sign up by visiting here.


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Contributing editors for this issue: Phillip Wilson, Greg Kittinger, Michael VanDervort, and Kimberly Ricci 


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About Labor Relations Institute

LRI exists to help our clients thrive and become extraordinary workplaces. We improve the lives of working people by strengthening relationships with their leaders and each other. For over 41 years LRI has led the labor and employee relations industry, driven by our core values and our proven process, the LRI Way.

 

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