Since the “Minimum Basic Agreement” expired on May 1 this year that covered the interests of all the writers who worked for broadcast television, other writers who worked for streaming media declared a strike the following day as they hadn’t been getting enough pay.
A lot of scripted films and TV productions are suffering massive disruptions due to the writers’ ongoing battle with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
To make matters worse, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) comprising more than 160,000 talented artists spread across films and television production units is expected to join the writers’ strike.
The SAG-AFTRA strike is expected to begin Thursday as they couldn’t reach an agreement with AMPTP given the entire ecosystem of consuming media is shifting to OTT platforms and actors are demanding better pay along with better working conditions.
Read more: Amidst Writers Strike 2023, ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Gets Promising Update
Bob Iger Weighs In On SAG-AFTRA Joining The Existing WGA Strike
Disney head Bob Iger in a conversation with David Faber of CNBC has spoken against the strike deeming it not “realistic.”
He spoke about how the recovery from COVID-19 is still underway and Hollywood is still not yet firmly standing tall like the pre-COVID era, and it is actually a “shame” that artists want to disrupt this industry so badly that it could impact multiple areas of our economy.
“It’s very disturbing to me. We’ve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we’re facing, the recovery from COVID which is ongoing, it’s not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption. There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic.”
The SAG-AFTRA doubling down on the WGA strike could have negative repercussions and because of this, thousands of complimentary workers in the industry could lose their jobs.
Bob Iger’s “Minuscule” Yearly Income Puts A-Listers To Shame
Handling a conglomerate as large as Disney is no child’s play, and Bob Iger has been doing a phenomenal job for the last 15-odd years.
It is reported that Bob Iger will remain as Disney’s head till 2026 so that the studio execs can focus on reorienting their operations best suited for the streaming age.
Iger projects a sense of stability and power in the industry, all that for a ‘meager’ $25 million annual pay. According to him, the industry leaders have managed to work out a deal with the directors’ guild that shows a strong sense of accountability.
“We managed, as an industry, to negotiate a very good deal with the directors guild that reflects the value that the directors contribute to this great business. We want to do the same thing with the writers, and we’d like to do the same thing with the actors.”
The writers’ guild strike is already in its third month and now with the SAG ready to bring Hollywood to its knees, Iger feels that the unions’ must be extremely aware of the potential of this industry while exercising their rights “realistically.”
Source: Variety
